


The Undying Fire: The Silencers

by Boogum



Series: The Undying Fire [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Family, Fire Healer Zuko, Friendship, Gen, Minor Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Secret Organizations, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, does not follow the comics for Ursa's backstory, slowburn Zutara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-07-29 12:16:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 91,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16264031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boogum/pseuds/Boogum
Summary: Book 4 ofThe Undying Fireseries. Zuko sets out with the Gaang to rescue his mother, but things get complicated when another fire healer shows up. Now he has to figure out who to trust and how to survive.





	1. When in Need

"That bad, huh?"

Zuko stirred with a start. He sat in the sun near the willow tree in the king's garden, his own body half-drooped like a wilting flower. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at Katara. She was smiling, perhaps amused by the fact she'd found him dozing. A breeze rustled the willow's trailing leaves and made ripples on the pond. It was surprisingly serene, even with the guards lingering on the outskirts.

"Maybe you should just lie down," she observed. "That doesn't look comfortable."

Warmth tickled Zuko's cheeks. "I didn't plan to fall asleep."

That had been stupid. Just because the fight with Azula, the rebels and the Fire Nation army was over didn't mean that it was safe for him to make himself defenceless out in the open. There was still a lot of tension going on thanks to the rebellion. Not only that but his cover had been blown, Uncle's cover had been blown, and while King Kuei had been more grateful than anything, that didn't change the fact that not everyone was so quick to forget paranoia and suspicion.

Katara stretched her arms above her head and sat next to him. "I'll keep watch if you like. Go ahead and sleep. You look like you need it."

Creases formed on his brow. "You'd do that?"

"Sure."

"It'll be boring."

Her voice softened. "I don't mind. Healing always takes so much out of you and you promised to help Shizue with her memories, right?"

"Yeah."

That was why he'd come here. He'd had to strip to his pants so he could better absorb the sunlight and replenish his chi faster. The king's private garden seemed the best place where he could sit in the sun and avoid making a spectacle of himself.

Katara met his gaze. "Then rest. Do what _you_ need to heal." She patted her lap. "I'll even let you use me as a pillow."

His face felt a bit hotter. "Oh. Thanks, but, uh—"

"You'd prefer to lie on the ground?"

Zuko closed his mouth. There was a subtle edge to her tone that suggested he should stop resisting or he was going to offend her. Badly.

He shifted onto his back and rested his head on her lap. Zuko expected his body to prickle with tension and discomfort, just as it had always done when he made physical contact with others in unfamiliar ways. That was why he'd tried to refuse her offer. Hugs and hand-holding he was beginning to handle, even appreciate, but using her lap as a pillow seemed different. More intimate. The warmth coming from her seeped into his already sun-warmed skin.

"See," she said a bit teasingly from above him. "Not so bad, is it?"

She was right. Being close to her like this didn't make him want to freeze or recoil. In fact, he felt calmer. At ease.

He exhaled and closed his eyes. They were both quiet for a long moment.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" he asked softly.

"Hm?"

"Healing Azula."

She let out a breath. "Do you regret it?"

"Don't know. I didn't even think about what I was doing at the time. My body just moved and then I found myself healing her. I know the others aren't happy with me, though."

Mai had called him an idiot. Sokka had looked grim and said he could understand not wanting to kill Azula, but saving her—actually offering up his own energy to heal her in the middle of a fight—wasn't smart. Toph had seemed to agree with Sokka. Even Iroh had just frowned and said what was done was done. Only Katara had offered no opinion, which had made Zuko curious. She was the one who had seen it all. She was the one who was also a healer.

Her fingers slipped into his hair. He opened his eyes in surprise, but her expression was pensive. She wasn't even looking at him. It seemed running her fingers through his hair was more of an absent gesture. Not that he was complaining. It felt nice. Unexpected, but nice.

"I don't know if there was a right or wrong option," she said slowly. "Your sister is horrible. Some would say she deserved to die, but then I ask myself what I would have done in your situation, and I just don't know."

Again, they were quiet.

"I can still feel her," he confessed. "Inside. Her energy is bonded to mine now."

Katara's hand stilled. "Does that bother you?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I hate her. I hate her so much and I hate how many people she's hurt, but I couldn't … I just couldn't let her die." He pressed his hands to his face. "Even after everything she's done, I couldn't do it."

Katara was quiet. She resumed threading her fingers through his hair. "Well, she's in prison now. You don't have to worry about her hurting any more people."

His stomach twisted. Would stone walls be enough to contain his sister? Should he even trust the Earth Kingdom with her? He remembered what had happened to him in the North Pole; he was also vividly conscious of what had happened to Toph. But it wasn't like they could take Azula with them. Then there was Ty Lee to figure out.

A sigh escaped his lips. Everything was such a mess.

"Hey." Katara gave his hands a light tap. He obligingly lowered them from his face and looked up at her. "It's okay. What's important is that Ba Sing Se was saved and we're all together again." She cupped his cheek, thumb brushing against his skin. "Don't beat yourself up just because you didn't want to watch your sister die. You have a healer's instincts. It's only natural."

He stared up at her for a long moment. "You always know what to say, don't you?"

She raised her eyebrows, perhaps because he was frowning. "Sounds like you're saying that's a bad thing."

"I don't mean it like that."

"Then what?"

Zuko fidgeted with a blade of grass. "It's just … you're always there. If someone's upset or needs help, you're there to give them the support they need. You just do it and expect nothing from them."

"And that's bad?"

"No, it's not bad at all. That's not what I'm saying." He covered his face with his hands, smothering a groan. "This was easier in my head."

She laughed and removed his hands. "Zuko, just tell me what you're thinking."

He was quiet for a moment. "Sometimes … sometimes it feels like you're always looking after others. Like you're trying to be strong for everyone, like you feel it's your responsibility to be positive and keep everyone else positive or something." His brow creased. "I just … if you're always there for others, then who's there for you?"

Colour dusted her cheeks. "Oh."

His face heated and he averted his gaze. Maybe he should have just kept his mouth shut. Using her lap as a pillow suddenly felt a lot more awkward.

"Thanks," she said in a soft voice.

He blinked and glanced back up at her.

"For being concerned," she elaborated, "but you don't need to worry. Someone has been looking out for me."

"Who?"

She smiled and lightly flicked him in the forehead. "You, dummy."

His eyes widened. "Me?"

Katara laughed again and went back to running her fingers through his hair. "You really need to stop selling yourself so short." Her voice gentled, losing the teasing tones. "You're a good friend, Zuko. I don't know what I would've done had you not been there when we got separated from the others." There was a small pause and an even smaller confession. "I was scared. Really scared."

He was filled with the urge to clasp her hand or reach up and touch her face. Her words reminded him of when he'd woken up on Changpu's farm. She'd clung to him then and cried. That was the first time he'd seen her so vulnerable.

"I was scared too," he admitted just as softly. "I'm glad you were with me."

Katara smiled in a way that left him warm all the way to his toes. They both were quiet after that, content to just relax and enjoy each other's company. Zuko's eyes slid shut. The drain from chi loss and the lulling way she ran her fingers through his hair was making him sleepy again.

He wasn't sure when he finally dozed off, but it was the sound of voices that stirred him from his dreams.

"A few things of interest were found in the Dai Li's records," Iroh was saying, sounding oddly muffled to Zuko's ears. "One of them was an intelligence report about a small fleet of Water Tribe ships protecting the mouth of Chameleon Bay."

"What?" Katara exclaimed.

"Your brother reacted the same way. As you guessed, the fleet is being led by your father."

"Dad's here?" she breathed, as if she hardly dared to believe it.

Zuko was fully awake now. He sat up and rubbed the dregs of sleep from his eyes.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" Katara asked.

"It's fine," he said. "I think I was out for a while."

Which also made him feel guilty. It couldn't have been comfortable for her to have his head resting on her lap for all that time. She was far too nice of a friend.

"Go," Iroh encouraged her. "Your brother is looking for you. You might still be able to find him near the guest chambers."

Katara smiled, told Zuko to make sure he got as much rest as he needed, then dashed off to meet with Sokka. Silence settled back over the garden, at least for a moment.

"She's a lovely girl," Iroh observed.

Zuko made a sound of agreement in the back of his throat.

"It's nice to see the two of you so close."

A pause. Zuko turned to look at his uncle. "We're friends."

"I never said you weren't."

Creases formed on the prince's brow. It felt like he was being led through the conversation like the ostrich-horse with the carrot. He decided to ignore the bait. "Has your chi returned to normal yet?" he asked instead.

Iroh frowned. "I'm afraid I don't have your ability to replenish chi at a rapid rate. Slowly but surely I am getting back to full strength."

Zuko brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He'd tried so hard not to absorb too much of his uncle's chi, yet it seemed he'd messed up again. "It's my fault you couldn't fight Azula like normal," he mumbled. "I made you vulnerable."

"I chose to weaken myself. I believed then, as I still do now, that saving Biyu was more important."

"Azula could have hurt you."

"But she didn't." Iroh placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "You protected me. You did very well, my nephew. I knew I was right to trust in your skills."

Zuko said nothing and simply hugged his knees tighter. Even if Iroh had given him permission to absorb the necessary chi that time in the Old City, the thought of sapping the strength and life from his uncle still made his stomach turn to knots. He hated the ability. He would always hate the ability.

"Try not to worry too much about it," Iroh advised. "Just get some rest while you can. Healing Shizue will not be easy."

"I know."

There wasn't even any guarantee that it would work. Yet Zuko still had to try. He needed to find his mother, to find the truth about the Children of the Undying Fire. He also desperately wanted to help Aang. Maybe learning more about energy bonding would give him some ideas about how to wake Aang up as well.

"Tomorrow," he murmured. "We'll know for sure then."

He looked up at the sky, even as the sun filled him with strength and energy. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

oOo

"You're still here," Katara said softly.

Toph gave a small a twitch. She sat on the cushions near where Aang was sleeping. "So are you. I thought you and Sokka would have left by now. You haven't seen your dad in three years, right?"

Katara sat next to her on the cushions. "Yeah."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Why are you?"

Toph pulled a face.

"Your mum is in the city," Katara continued. "It sounded like you wanted to see her."

"Are you saying I'm too scared to go on my own? That I need someone to hold my hand?" Toph balled her hands into fists. "I was the one who took down all those tanks, you know. You don't need to treat me like I'm fragile."

"I know. Sokka told me. He said you were amazing."

Silence.

Katara bit her lip. Zuko had said she always knew what to say to people, but she had never been good at handling Toph. They butted heads so much. It hurt sometimes. Katara knew she got a little sensitive when people spurned her help or called her bossy. Toph did both on a regular basis. Even so, there was something troubling the younger girl and that was something Katara couldn't ignore. She wanted to be there for her.

She tentatively reached out to touch Toph's shoulder. "Listen, Sokka told me how you froze up when you first went out there."

Toph twitched away from her hand. "So what? I got over it, didn't I? I did what I had to do."

"I know, I know. I'm just—"

"I told you to stop acting like I'm fragile! I'm not some scared, weak little girl! I can take care of myself!"

Katara bit her lip again, this time to stop her own frustration from spilling out. She wanted to remind Toph that it was she who had bathed her and healed her during those early days; that it was she who had been kind and gentle and patient when Toph had been unable to say a word. She wanted to say that she could see right through Toph, because all that bravado couldn't disguise the damage that had been done. Toph's trauma was still there in her tense posture, in the downward tilt of her chin, in the way she seemed to stick close to her element.

How was Katara supposed to ignore all that? How was she supposed to pretend like she didn't hear that cry of hurt?

But retaliating with anger wasn't the answer. She had to be calm. She had to somehow get Toph to lower her walls of defence.

Katara frowned at her hands. "I'm not saying you're weak or fragile," she said quietly. "I know you're not. You're a fighter. You're strong."

Toph tilted her head slightly. She was listening.

"But sometimes it's hard to fight alone. Sometimes we do freeze up and get scared." Her fingers found their way to the pendant hanging from her throat. "Sometimes it's just really hard to ask for support."

There was a shaky exhale from beside her. Katara took courage from the sound. She released her necklace and faced the other girl.

"I've never thought of you as weak, Toph. Not ever. But I am your friend and I know you've been through a lot." Her voice lowered. "I guess … I guess I'm saying if you want someone to be there with you when you go see your mum, the offer is there."

Toph was quiet for a long moment. Katara wondered if she was going to get a response at all. Maybe she should have approached Zuko and got him to talk to Toph instead; the two of them seemed to have a better understanding.

"Um," Toph began a bit awkwardly, "maybe … maybe it would be easier if I have someone else with me. But it's not because I'm scared to be alone or anything."

Katara let out a small breath. "Of course. I'll let Sokka know to go on ahead."

"You sure?"

"Dad can wait. It's not like I won't get to see him."

There was another moment of silence. Toph abruptly punched her arm.

"Ow," Katara exclaimed, rubbing the stinging spot. "What was that for?"

"Nothing much." Toph stood up and dusted off her hands. "Shall we go then, Sweetness?"

Katara bit back a smile, even as some of the stinging faded from her arm. "Alright. Let's go."

It didn't take them long to locate Sokka. He seemed surprised that Katara wasn't going to come with him to see their dad, but he didn't argue either. Perhaps he understood why she wanted to be there for Toph.

She waved to Sokka as he flew off on Appa towards Chameleon Bay. Then she and Toph made their way into the Upper Ring. Remnants of the rebellion and the battle still lingered. Parts of the street were all broken up from earthbending and there were bits of metal scattered around. City guards and citizens alike worked together to clean up.

"Crazy to think Zuko's sister caused all this," Toph muttered.

Katara made a noncommittal sound. She didn't like to think about Azula much. Her feelings got so conflicted. It was easy to hate such a monster. Azula had got so many people hurt with her manipulations and plans. She'd even killed Jet, the boy who had given Katara her first kiss and also her first proper taste of betrayal. That made Katara conflicted as well.

But then she thought of the duel she'd witnessed between Zuko and Azula. She thought of the way Azula had let her heal Zuko, of the way the arrows had struck and how distraught Zuko had been. She thought of his confession in the garden, soft and vulnerable. He hated his sister, of that there was no denying, but it was clear he loved her as well. The whole thing made Katara feel … odd. Confused. Angry.

"Do you remember the address?" Toph asked.

Katara shook off the troubling thoughts and pulled out the letter. "It shouldn't be far from here."

They kept walking until they reached the house. It was beautiful, like all the buildings in the Upper Ring, and seemed to have been untouched by the rebellion. That was a relief. It would have been horrible if Toph's mum had got caught up in the struggle.

"Ready?" Katara said.

Toph looked paler than normal, but she nodded and strode ahead to knock on the door. It opened slightly.

"Guess it's unlocked," Katara observed.

The younger girl exhaled before pushing the door open more and stepping inside. The room was unlit and there didn't appear to be any furnishings. "Hello?" she called. "Mum? Anyone home?"

Katara was slower to enter. That was a mistake. A metal box fell from the ceiling and entrapped Toph inside. There was a small cry of alarm from the girl. Katara reacted fast and got her water ready, eyes frantically scanning for a sign of whoever had set the trap. She was surprised when Xin Fu and Master Yu strode out from the shadows. Had they really followed all the way from Gaoling just to try to kidnap Toph again?

"You're in the way, girl," Master Yu said.

Katara narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure why Toph hadn't busted herself out of the box yet, but there wasn't time to worry about that. Instead, Katara, shifted into a flow of bending moves: violent whips to snag feet off balance and break stances, blasts of water that shoved back and left both men dazed. She was swift and vicious like the unexpected currents in a river. Her fingers curled to freeze both their hands and feet to the ground. Now neither of them could bend.

"Where's the key?" she demanded.

Master Yu's eyes widened before he quickly glanced to the left. Suspicious.

She marched over to him. "You have it, don't you?"

He made a sound that was a bit like "meep". Katara glared at him warningly before she reached into his pocket and fished around until she touched metal. She pulled the key out. Xin Fu looked like he wanted nothing more than to bash her head over with a rock.

Katara quickly unlocked the box and tugged it open. Toph sat in a huddled ball with her hands over her face. She was shaking. Oh spirits, of course. Toph had been locked up in a box by the Dai Li as well.

"Come on," Katara said gently. "Let's get out of here."

Toph didn't move at first, but with some encouragement she uncurled herself and managed to stand. Katara held her hand firmly. Her eyes narrowed on the two men.

"Come after my friend again and I won't go so easy on you," she warned.

To make her threat clearer, she flicked her hand and made ice daggers strike the stone mere inches from the men's faces. They both stiffened and their eyes bugged wide. Message received.

Katara led Toph out of the house without another word. They walked at a rapid pace until Toph tried to slip her hand free. Katara instantly let go. For a moment, neither of them said anything.

"Are you alright now?" Katara asked.

Toph trembled. She kept her face lowered so that her fringe hid everything. "I froze up again."

Katara's heart ached. Oh, Toph. She was always trying so hard to be strong. She was probably beating up on herself right now.

"Hey, it's okay," Katara said, reaching for her. "You don't need to—"

"It's not okay!" Toph stepped back abruptly. "I froze up! I could have bended myself out, but I just couldn't. I couldn't move."

"Toph, it's—"

"Why does this keep happening?" Toph's chin wobbled. "If you hadn't been there, I'd still be trapped in that box and—"

Katara pulled her into her arms. Toph stiffened right up like a piece of wood, but she didn't pull away.

"It's okay," Katara said over and over. "It's okay, Toph. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It's okay."

Toph pressed her face closer and her arms slowly came up to wrap around Katara. "Don't tell the others," she pleaded.

Katara held her tighter. "If you don't want me to, I won't."

They stood embracing for some time. Eventually, Toph stepped back and averted her face, though Katara still caught the hasty scrub she gave to her eyes. Katara chose not to comment on the fact Toph had been crying.

"Let's head back," she said. "I'm sure we can get Iroh to make that nice tea again. I could really go for some."

Toph's mouth twitched into the most fragile of smiles. "I'd like that."

The walk back was mostly quiet. It was only when they reached the palace gates that Toph asked the question Katara had also been pondering.

"Do you think those two were working for my parents?"

"I don't know," Katara admitted.

It did seem strange that they'd come all this way and used a letter from Toph's mum to lure her in. That is if the letter had even been authentic. There was no one who could tell since Toph was blind.

"I won't go back," Toph said. "I still want to travel with everyone."

It almost sounded as if she was asking if it was okay to even want such a thing. Did she think she no longer had a place with them if she froze up sometimes?

Katara squeezed her shoulder. "We want you with us as well, Toph. No one will ever make you leave."

Toph's tiny smile was a bit wider this time. They had only taken a few steps before Katara got another punch to the arm. She winced and rubbed the spot, though she didn't bother to protest. Not anymore.

Little by little, Toph was getting better. Not a perfect recovery, but certainly more like her old self. Katara thought she could handle a few punches to the arm if it meant being there for a friend.

oOo

Much to everyone's surprise, Sokka arrived back later that night. The reason for why was soon apparent. He'd learnt that some of Zuko's old crew were with the Water Tribe warriors.

"What?" Zuko exclaimed, sitting bolt upright from where he'd been lounging on the cushions next to Katara and Momo.

Sokka explained how the fleet had run into a Fire Nation riverboat out in the middle of the ocean. The crew aboard had ended up surrendering; they'd already been hit by a storm and had essentially been stranded anyway since the engine couldn't be fixed. They'd had no hope of surviving.

"Dad ended up keeping them around as prisoners," Sokka said. "Though I think he just wasn't sure what to do with them, to be honest. One of them used to be your cook."

"The cook?" Iroh looked as if he'd found a lucky star. "Cheng is alive?"

Sokka nodded. It turned out Lieutenant Jee, Tomoki and the old helmsman had also managed to make it out of the North.

"Now I see what happened," Iroh murmured.

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked.

Iroh reminded him of how he'd found Kan in a seaside Earth Kingdom village. Before Kan had died, he'd expressed his worry for the "others" who had escaped the North with him. He'd said he'd been knocked off the boat during a Water Tribe attack and had got separated from everyone.

"Kan must have been with them on that boat," Iroh said.

Zuko nodded, though it was with mixed feelings that he accepted the situation. Learning that some of his crew was alive was a relief. For all they'd had their tense moments, he'd still travelled the world with them for three years. But even then he was aware that many, if not most, of them were probably dead. There had been so many bodies floating in those icy waters.

"So they're prisoners now?" Zuko asked.

"Technically."

Katara furrowed her brows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You can see for yourselves when you meet them. I said I'd bring you all there tomorrow."

Iroh's mouth curved into a smile. "You have been busy, haven't you?"

Sokka rubbed his nose with his forefinger. "Well, I realised we can't all fit on Appa now, and it's not like we can just stay in Ba Sing Se. Besides, Biyu and the Order of the White Lotus have everything covered here."

As expected of the self-proclaimed Plan Guy. He'd already been thinking ahead.

The others continued to talk. Zuko excused himself after a while and found his feet taking him out to the garden. Moonlight bathed the night in silver. There were so many stars in the sky that for a moment he just found himself mesmerised by the scattered specks of light.

A snuffling sound came from behind him, and he heard the soft pad of footsteps. Zuko turned to see Bosco in his silly yellow coat. King Kuei arrived a moment later with his usual guards on watch. It was just like their first meeting, except this time Kuei wasn't wearing his pyjamas.

"Oh," Kuei said, spotting Zuko. "You're here."

"I can go if you like," Zuko offered.

"No, no. It's fine."

There was an awkward silence. Zuko wondered if he was supposed to say something. What was he even supposed to say? Or was it okay to just pretend Kuei wasn't there? Would that be considered rude when he was a guest in the king's garden?

Ugh, socialising was so difficult sometimes.

Zuko folded his arms across his chest and looked the other way. Kuei scratched his chin and fiddled with the rims of his glasses. There was much more awkward silence. One of the guards coughed.

"So …" Kuei and Zuko said at the same time.

Kuei smiled. "You go first, Prince Zuko."

Zuko shook his head. He'd actually been about to make his excuses and leave. "You're the king. Go ahead."

"Ah, well, I understand you and your companions will be leaving soon with the Avatar."

"Yes. Probably tomorrow."

Kuei lowered his gaze. "So soon."

He sounded almost sad. Or maybe it was anxiety weighing down his tone.

Zuko frowned at the older man. "You should keep your head high, you know."

Kuei blinked and looked up in a confused manner. "What?"

"You're the Earth King. People are going to be looking to you for guidance, especially after everything that's happened." Zuko shrugged and looked up at the sky. "Just try to have more confidence."

A faint smile curved Kuei's mouth. "Easy for you to say. You were clearly born a natural leader. I'm afraid all I was born to do was to sit on a throne and let others do the talking." His smile twisted. "A puppet king, your sister called me. Perhaps she was right."

"Nothing my sister says is worth listening to."

It was always hurtful. Always poisonous.

"Then what kind of king do you think I am?" Kuei asked. "Do you think people will really look for protection and guidance in someone like me? I'm no fighter, not even much of a scholar. I know nothing except these walls and my only companion has been Bosco. I didn't even know the war was going on."

"You can learn, can't you?"

Kuei blinked again.

"If you want to be good at something, you have to work hard for it," Zuko said softly. "That's something I've learnt."

"You really believe that, don't you?"

Zuko's mouth curled up at one corner. "You said I was born a natural leader, but the truth is I've struggled for every scrap of respect I've received. Growing up, everyone thought I was a failure. They all wished that Azula had been born the eldest so she would be the heir. When I got banished and had to captain a ship, some of my crew mutinied against me and it was only my uncle's presence that stopped things from getting too ugly or from it happening again."

Kuei's eyes widened. "I had no idea."

"It's not exactly the kind of thing I go around sharing with everyone." Zuko shrugged again. "Anyway, all I'm saying is that no one is expecting you to be perfect. It's not like you're going to be on your own either. You've got people at your side you can trust now."

The king was silent for a moment before he exhaled and stood a bit taller. "You're right. I swore to myself I'd be a better king after I learnt about Long Feng's betrayal. Now I guess I just have to walk the talk."

Zuko nodded in encouragement. Still, for his own peace of mind, there was something he had to ask. "Can you promise me one thing, though?"

"What?"

"Promise you'll do everything you can for the Joo Dees. The Dai Li stole their identities and free will from them. They're going to need your support."

"I understand. I'll gather all the healers in the city if I have to." Kuei smiled. "You have my word, Prince Zuko."


	2. Healing and Goodbyes

The sun was bright and warm. Zuko stood with his face raised to the sky, feeling the energy thrum through his body. He was back to full power. He was as ready as he was ever going to be to try this. Now to see if he could actually use the purification flames to heal Shizue's mind without draining himself dry.

"I'll be here if you need me," Katara said, touching his arm.

He nodded in thanks.

Iroh, who was standing next to her, smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure it will be easier this time. You're above ground, after all."

"Right." Zuko let out a breath and turned to Shizue. "Let's do this."

They sat opposite each other in the small courtyard, knees close enough to touch. His hands trembled a little as he placed them on her head. Unlike when he'd healed Biyu, this was so much more personal. He was conscious of the gravity of what was at stake: of being able to reunite properly with the woman who'd watched over him as a child, of learning the truth about what happened to his mother, of having a chance to know more about his bending. So much was resting on success.

"Do I need to do anything?" Shizue asked.

"No. Just relax."

Her eyebrows arched a fraction. "Maybe you should do the same. You're trembling."

"Sorry." He forced himself to breathe more slowly, trying to ease the sharp ball tightening everything in his chest. "I just want this to work."

"As do I."

Their eyes met. In that moment he saw her desperation, her frustration. She wanted her memories back more than anything. Oddly, it helped to calm him. He focussed on the thought of filling that need for her rather than all the emotions that stormed within him in waves of anxiety and hope. His fire could help her. That was all that mattered.

Zuko closed his eyes and linked their energy. A twitch passed through him. There it was: that shifting bundle of wrongness slipping and tangling its way all through her mind. Queasiness curdled his stomach, but he ignored the instinct to recoil. He had to stay calm. Focussed.

Carefully, he wrapped his own energy around a part of the taint, disentangling it from the rest and trapping it in chains of gold.

_Burn._

The thought was a command. Fire pulsed from the chains and began to consume everything he had trapped. She didn't even flinch, though he could feel how unpleasant it was for her. Purifying her mind was like drawing puss from an infected wound; he had to get it out bit by painful bit, purging it all in hot waves of fire. There was no way for him to be gentle.

He moved onto the next part and began the process again. Disentangle, trap, burn. The bundle of wrongness didn't seem as bad as Biyu's had been—not quite so entrenched—but removing it was still slow and draining work. Every second that passed, he could feel himself weakening. The only thing that gave him reassurance was the sun's touch: warm, enfolding, like the embrace of a friend. It bolstered him and told him not to falter.

 _"Be strong,"_ it seemed to say. _"You are one of mine. Trust in your flames."_

A fine tremor started in Zuko's hands. He dug deeper into his reserves of energy, picturing in his mind what he had seen when he had unlocked the final chakra: all the power, the potential. Surely, it meant he was capable of more. He was a Child of the Undying Fire. It was his gift to heal. There had to be a way to purify Shizue's mind without leaving his own energy withered like a sun-starved flower.

_Trust in your flames._

He paused, still holding onto a piece of the slithering mass of wrongness. Perhaps that was the problem. He had thought it would be too much if he tried to take on the whole contamination at once. He had thought it was better to do it strand by strand, burning in hot pulses of fire. But it was so draining to have to keep stopping and starting the flames. What if … what if he could just let them spread and burn on their own, just like a forest fire?

What if he could _choose_ what would be consumed?

Zuko loosened the chains just enough to let the strand of wrongness connect back with the rest of the slippery, shifting mass. He reminded himself that the purification flames were not like the kind he willed beyond his own flesh; they were a manifestation of healing energy, sparked to life from the sun that burned inside him. They would not harm her—could not harm her if he willed it.

He exhaled and focussed on the tip of the contamination. _Burn_ , he thought, putting all of his willpower into the command. _Burn anything that would hurt her. Burn anything that doesn't belong._

The flames flared to life, but this time he let them spread along the slithering mass of wrongness. All the taint, all that foul imprint of foreign energy began to flicker in fiery gold, disintegrating and releasing its hold on her mind. He could feel it all, feel it being consumed by his flames. It was like he was taking all of that wrongness into himself—so awful and nauseating and hard to contain—but his willpower was strong. He refused to back down. Pain and suffering were nothing new to him; he knew how to handle such burdens.

Shizue stiffened and made a small sound, but it was not from any damage he had inflicted. The flames still obeyed him. Linked as they were, he could feel her chi beginning to flow more easily, no longer caged in and subdued by the shifting mass. Perhaps some of her memories were already returning. He couldn't sense such things, but the wrongness—the wounds inflicted upon her energy—that was his to mend. That was his to purify.

_Be healed._

The last of the contamination caught fire. Zuko shuddered at the feel of it writhing against his flames, but then it was all gone. Her mind was clean.

He slowly lowered his hands. "It's done."

She opened her eyes. They stared at each other for a moment and then her expression began to change, becoming less like a hardened stranger's and more like the woman he recalled from his childhood. "Prince Zuko," she murmured. Her gaze seemed to take in everything about him. "You've grown."

All he could manage was a nod before exhaustion struck like a rock. It felt like he'd just run up a mountain with no breaks. He swayed and probably would have hit the ground had hands not gripped his shoulders from behind.

"I knew this would happen," Katara said, still keeping him steady. "You pushed yourself too hard again."

"It's fine. I'm fine." He glanced back at Shizue. "Anyway, are you—did your memories—"

Shizue winced and started rubbing her temples.

He sat up straighter. "What's wrong?"

"It hurts."

Of course. He had removed the taint that had caged and rewritten her mind, but all that pent up blockage was still there. "Sorry, I'll try—"

"No you won't." Katara grabbed his shoulders again and pulled him back. "You've already done enough."

"I'm fine. I figured out how to purify energy without giving up too much of my own, so—"

"That's great, but you look like you're about to pass out."

He closed his mouth. Now that she mentioned it, he really was tired. His eyelids were heavy and it felt like his head was stuffed with koalasheep wool. Never mind the way his limbs just wanted to collapse like a boneless fish.

One of her hands cupped his jaw as she leaned over him to meet his gaze. "I'm a healer too, remember? Let me do this."

Zuko let out a breath. He nodded and moved aside so she could take his place to finish the healing. The bluish glow encasing her hands was hypnotising, or maybe that was just because he was so sleepy.

"It seems to be working," Iroh observed.

Zuko nodded. "Waterbending is probably more suited for this part anyway."

He remembered when he and Katara had first tried to heal Biyu—the different things they were able to sense, the way Katara's water had smoothed the resistance and tangled chi more easily than his fire. Perhaps part of it was because she was so much more experienced than him, but he got the feeling it was also just the nature of fire and water healing to have different strengths.

Katara lowered her hands from Shizue's temples, letting the water slip back into the flask attached to her hip. "Better?" she asked.

Shizue was still for a moment, breathing slowly. Prickles of anticipation crept all over Zuko's skin. The hush that settled between the four was tangible and weighty; it felt like the whole world was holding its breath, waiting for whatever the older woman would say.

"My mother," he said, unable to stay silent any longer. "Did you, have you—"

"She's not here. She was never here."

The words were quiet, but they reverberated through his entire being. He curled his fingers into his palms. It was difficult to keep his voice calm. "Do you know where she is?"

Shizue raised her head to look at him. A lump formed in his throat. Despair. That was all he could see in her eyes: despair and guilt.

"Don't." He swallowed and his voice wobbled too much for his liking. "Don't tell me she's—"

"She's not dead."

Relief, dizzying and heady, swept through him in a rush. He sucked in a breath and gripped his knees. "Then where—"

"She's not dead," Shizue repeated, "but she might as well be."

His heart lurched and sunk like a rock plummeting to the bottom of the ocean. Words clung to his tongue, but he couldn't get them out. It was a moment before he realised Katara was squeezing his hand. The touch was somehow anchoring and he found himself holding on tightly.

"What do you mean?" he half-whispered. "What happened to her?"

"The island … took her."

"Island?" Katara said, scrunching her brow.

"My memories are still a bit hazy, but that island, that _place_ is cursed." Shizue stared at him grimly. "I tried. I did everything I could to free her, but I can't fight spirits and it would have done her no good had I got myself killed trying."

Iroh's eyes widened at the mention of spirits. "Tell us everything."

Shizue averted her gaze. "There isn't much to say. Ursa had been Ursa. For all that she had accepted her banishment, she hated that she had been forced to leave her children."

Shizue went on to explain how, three years ago, they had received news that Zuko had been banished. Ursa had immediately set out to find him, and Shizue had chosen to go with her. It was while they were sailing, looking for a place to rest, that they'd stumbled across the island.

"I can't remember everything that happened there," she said, shaking her head, "only that your mother was taken and I was unable to get her back."

His heart seemed to have got lost somewhere in his stomach, sinking deeper into pits of hollowness. "Mother was looking for me? I'm, I'm the reason she—"

"Don't blame yourself," Iroh said firmly.

Katara squeezed his hand, as if to say she also agreed that it wasn't his fault his mother had got trapped on some cursed island. Zuko couldn't say he felt reassured. If anything, it only added to the mess of feelings stirring inside him.

"If anyone should be blamed, it's me," Shizue said bitterly. "I failed to protect her. I failed to save her. I even failed to get help. Instead, I just got myself brainwashed into some mindless Joo Dee and forgot everything." Her lip curled in disgust. "Such failure is unforgivable."

"From what I remember of my sister-in-law, she would not hold it against you," Iroh said. "Besides, there is no way you could have known the Dai Li had the power to rewrite memories, though I am curious about what brought you to Ba Sing Se."

"Desperation. There did not seem to be any way to free Ursa, but then I remembered the stories about the bridge between worlds."

Zuko's breath caught. "You were looking for the Avatar."

She nodded. "I figured there was a chance the cycle had continued beyond air and water. I thought maybe the Avatar had been hiding in Ba Sing Se."

"Except Aang was sealed in that iceberg," Katara said softly. "There was no way you could have found him back then."

Everyone fell silent. A bird chirped from somewhere over the wall.

Zuko swallowed against the thickness clogging his throat. Even his tongue was like lead. "What do we do now?" he asked. "If what you're saying is true, Aang might be the only one who can help my mother, but he's …"

Katara looked down, though her hand still clutched his tightly. Iroh also lowered his gaze. No one wanted to say the words. No one wanted to make it more real that even Aang was currently lost to them.

"Now you know how the situation stands." Shizue stood a bit shakily to her feet and made to walk away.

"W-wait, where are you going?" Zuko exclaimed. "Shouldn't we talk about this more or at least—"

"I'm tired." She paused with her back to him. "I'll let you know if I remember anything else."

"Of course," Iroh said before the prince could respond. "You must wish to rest after the healing. Allow me to walk you back."

Shizue stared at his proffered arm, but then she just gave a jerky nod. Iroh shot Zuko a reassuring look before heading off with her in the direction of the guest chambers. The desire to call them back—to insist that she tell more now, because somehow Zuko knew she had remembered far more than was she letting on—bubbled up in his throat, but he kept his mouth shut. Maybe it was for the best that they took a break.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

"Hey." Katara bumped his shoulder with hers, still holding his hand. "It's going to be okay. We'll get your mum back."

"I know."

A few creases formed on her brow. Perhaps she had picked up on the disquiet edging his tone. "You don't sound so certain," she pointed out.

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

He sighed and frowned at their clasped hands. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me all of a sudden. I should be happy, right? Even if my mother is trapped on that island, I finally know the truth. I know she's alive. It's everything I ever wanted."

Katara squeezed his hand. "It's okay to be confused, Zuko. You don't need to beat yourself up just because you're not feeling what you think you should."

He was quiet for a long moment.

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked, nudging his shoulder again.

"It's stupid."

"Nothing you feel is stupid. They're your feelings. They're important."

He glanced up and saw the smile warming her eyes like sunrays on the ocean. It made him feel more assured, though he still looked down when he spoke. "I just … for so long I thought that was it. Mum was gone. I'd never see her again." He swallowed. "I've missed her so much, but sometimes …"

"Sometimes?"

He shook his head a bit helplessly. "I don't know. It just … it hurt. It hurt every day. She left me with no explanation. I waited and waited and she never came back. All I could assume was that she'd died or she just didn't want me as a son anymore."

Katara traced circles on his palm with her thumb. "You heard Shizue, right? Your mum was forced to leave you. She went looking for you the moment she heard you got banished."

"I know. I know exactly what my mother has done for me."

That was why he was confused. He should have felt relieved, happy, but inside he was just a churning storm. He didn't know if it was from guilt—and there was indeed a lot of guilt after learning all she'd suffered for him—or just a child's lingering resentment at being abandoned to an abusive father and sister. It was as if finding out she was alive had pulled the cork on all his bottled up feelings, letting them spill out in a mess.

"I feel so childish," he confessed. "Mum only tried to protect me. She got herself trapped in some awful place because of me. I have no right to feel upset with her still. It's stupid and irrational."

"It was hard for you when she left, right?"

"Yeah, but—" His gaze drifted up to Katara's face, catching on her necklace. Something twisted in his stomach and he pulled his hand from hers. "Oh geez, I'm so sorry, Katara. You should have just told me to shut up. I'm such an idiot."

"What?" She blinked at him. "What are you—"

"Why'd you let me go on like that?" He grabbed fistfuls of his hair, wishing the ground would swallow him. Tactless. He was so tactless.

"Hey." Katara grasped his shoulders to guide him into facing her. "What are you talking about?"

His gaze dropped back to her necklace. Very gently, he brushed his fingertip along the carved, wave-like patterns on the pendant. "I'm the worst. Here I am complaining, but it's your mother who actually …" He trailed off and met her eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

She let out a breath. "Oh."

"Agni, I really am the worst." He started to pull away again, but she tightened her grip.

"No, it's okay. I'm okay. You didn't upset me."

"But—"

"Zuko, I'm fine. Just because I lost my mum doesn't mean you're not allowed to talk about yours. I'm the one who said I wanted you to tell me about these things."

He bit his lip. "You're not just saying that? Because I know you always try to—"

"I'm telling you I'm fine," she assured him, half-laughing now. Her hands slid up to the nape of his neck. "You can relax."

Her touch reassured him more than her words, though he still had to make sure. "And you're really not just saying that to be nice?"

"I'm really not." Some of the humour faded from her eyes. "It's true I miss my mum. I'd give just about anything for her to come back, but she can't. She never will."

"Then why would you want to listen to me go on about how—"

"Because I care about you." Katara held his gaze, her tone soft and serious. "Because I'm glad your mum is alive. I'm happy for you, Zuko. I'm really happy, but I also get it. I get why you're confused and upset and don't know how to feel. I understand."

"You do?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I feel the same way about my dad."

He looked at her curiously.

A tiny sigh escaped her and she lowered her hands to her lap. "After we lost Mum, it's like Dad went away with her. He put all his energy into fighting the Fire Nation. We hardly saw him, and then he and all the older men just one day up and left, and that was it." She worked out a crease in her dress. "I haven't seen him in three years."

Zuko's eyes widened. That was the same amount of time he had been banished.

"So when we ran into Bato at that abbey, I was really relieved. I finally knew my Dad was alive. I'd been worried all that time, but then …"

"You started to wonder why he didn't get in contact with you—why he'd stayed away so long."

She nodded.

"Is that why you didn't end up going with Sokka to see him yesterday?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I really do want to see him, but sometimes I just get so, so …"

"Mad?"

Her gaze darted up to his. "Yeah. I get mad. I know why he left, but we were just kids." Her tone became hushed. "I wasn't ready to lose both my parents."

Zuko wrapped one of his arms around her and pulled her against his side. She immediately nestled closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't know you were feeling that way."

"I didn't want to say anything," she admitted. "Sokka doesn't seem to mind that Dad just left us for all those years. It … it made me feel worse to see him so excited, like I'm being a bad daughter or something." She curled her fingers into his tunic. "I just wanted my dad to be there for me when I needed him, you know? I wanted to know I could rely on him."

He brought his other arm around her to complete the embrace. "I know. I understand."

Katara nestled even closer. They were both quiet for a moment.

"I like being with you like this," she said so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

"What?"

"You give really nice hugs."

Heat crawled on his cheeks. "Oh. Um, thanks." A pause. "You give nice hugs, too."

She made a soft, snorty sound. Probably because his compliment had been delivered as smoothly as a fish trying to walk on land.

Silence once more settled between them, undemanding and comfortable. It really was nice just holding her like this and not feeling any pressure to speak. He wondered when it was that she had eased all the edges and uncertainty from him. A few months ago, he wouldn't have believed it if someone had said he'd enjoy hugging anyone, let alone the waterbender who travelled with the Avatar.

"Sokka and Mai will probably be back soon," she observed, tracing aimless patterns on his tunic with her fingertip. "They were just going to say goodbye to Enlai and his family, right?"

He made a humming sound of agreement.

"I guess then we'll leave to meet with Dad and the rest of the warriors."

"Will you be okay?"

"Yeah. It's not like I can avoid him forever, and I do want to see him. I just …"

Zuko rested his cheek against her head. "If it gets hard, you know where to find me."

She squeezed him extra tight. "Thanks, Zuko. That goes for you too as well, you know. For anything. I'll always be there if you need me."

For some reason, his heart quickened a few beats before steadying again. He didn't say anything, though, and just stayed with her like that until voices drifted to them from the path.

"That sounds like Sokka and Mai now," he said, pulling back from her.

She stood up and held out her hand to him, a smile on her lips. "Shall we go meet them?"

Zuko nodded and grasped her hand, allowing her to assist him into standing. It was time to figure out what they were going to do next.

oOo

As anticipated, no one was in the mood to linger once they had all gathered together again. For Zuko, there wasn't much point since he now knew his mother wasn't in the city. He was sorry to say goodbye to Biyu, though. It was difficult not to feel close to her when her energy was connected to his. Still, it was obvious she would do far more good in Ba Sing Se. She had agreed to become King Kuei's advisor, not to mention the city's new leader of the White Lotus. Much to Sokka's relief, she had also promised to ensure the Earth Kingdom army would be ready to support the invasion during the eclipse.

No one mentioned the possibility that Aang might not even be awake when the eclipse came.

"Where are you going, Nephew?" Iroh asked, frowning as Zuko headed for the exit to the guest chambers. "We'll be leaving soon. Everyone is already packed."

"There's something I need to do."

Iroh's brow furrowed, but perhaps he caught on to what the prince intended, for something changed in his expression. "Don't be too long."

"I won't."

Zuko left the room and wasted no time in heading for the prisons. The guards did not turn him away, but they did remain to watch as he walked past the metal cells to the door at the far end. A small, barred grate had been put in the door at eye level to allow air to circulate. He could not see anything inside except the corner of a bed, but that was fine. He knew she was in there and would hear him.

"Azula."

There was a faint rustling and then slow footsteps approached from the other side of the door. "Well, well, if it isn't my dear brother. Come to gloat?"

Something clenched in his stomach. "I came to say goodbye."

A pause. "Leaving so soon?"

"Mother is alive. I'm going to find her."

Pale fingers suddenly curled around the bars and he got a glimpse of amber eyes. "Mother? You know where she is?"

"Shizue does. She's going to guide me to her."

Azula stared at him for a long moment before releasing the bars. "I see. And I suppose I'll be left here in this tiny cell?"

"You know exactly why you're in there."

She laughed, though the sound was as jarring as shattering glass, sudden and unnatural. "I only did what Father wanted. It's not a crime to fight for my nation. Out of the two of us, it's you who's the traitor here."

"I'm not going to argue with you about this."

"Such poise." Poisonous humour dripped from her tongue. "I suppose you must feel all confident now that the monster has been locked up. Right, Brother?"

"You're not a monster, Azula. You're sick and you don't know when to stop, but you're not a monster."

Something flickered in her eyes. Suddenly, her fingers were gripping the bars again. "Don't lie to me," she hissed. "I know what you all think of me. I know you think I'm cruel, inhuman—that I need to be locked away."

His throat tightened, but it was anger that edged his words. "Hundreds of people died because of you! Of course we had to lock you up! You started a revolution and tried to assassinate the king! You tried to take over the city!"

"I did what is expected of a Fire Nation princess!"

He shook his head and stepped back. "Forget it. I can see talking to you is pointless."

"Wait!"

Zuko paused and looked back at her.

"Take me with you, Brother."

His jaw dropped. "What?"

She moved even closer so that her nose was practically poking through the bars. "You're going to find Mother. Take me with you. I can help. I can—"

"Are you joking?"

"I'll be good, I promise. No tricks, no betrayals."

The tightness in his throat got worse until it was like a stone had got lodged in there. Spirits, she was actually serious.

"Azula, I can't. You know I can't."

"Why not?" She tightened her grip on the bars. "So what if I got a few peasants and soldiers killed? She's my mother, too! I deserve to—"

"It's not going to happen," he said firmly.

A scream escaped her and blue flames burst from her hands and lips. Zuko was startled into a defensive stance, but the guards were already swarming on the cell and putting up a barrier of rock. Now, he couldn't see the door or the girl locked inside. He could hear her, though—the unadulterated rage, the blasts of fire that just kept coming and coming.

It shook him.

It was a reminder that the composure his sister had always lorded over him was now just a mask splintering from whatever twisted thing had taken root in her mind.

"You can't do this to me!" she screamed like a child. "You can't keep me locked in this cage! I'm going to get free, and when I do I'll make you regret it! I'll make you all regret it!"

"Prince Zuko." One of the guards moved into his view. "It would be best if you leave now."

Zuko remained frozen. All he could think was how his sister had looked when arrows had pierced her flesh and blood had pooled around her by a half-blackened throne. He remembered how it had felt to connect with her for the healing: all the power, the intensity, the pain, but also the wrongness. It wasn't the same as what he had felt in Biyu and Shizue's minds—nothing manipulated or caused by bending. There was just something off about his sister. It festered and was all tangled up inside her brain like a disease rotting everything. Even now, he could feel a hint of it when he focussed on the thread connecting their energy.

Her snarls got louder and more threatening. Zuko swallowed and tried speaking to her, hoping to calm her down. His voice only aggravated her more. He was forced to leave, his heart so heavy it seemed to weigh his feet.

"She sounds pretty upset."

He paused at the sound of Ty Lee's voice. Her face peered out from the little grate on the cell door to his left. The sight of her made his stomach twist. Ty Lee had helped them bring down Azula with her chi blocking, but she had also gone too far in the eyes of those who decided who got to walk free or be imprisoned. It was inevitable she would end up here after letting the tanks in and supporting the princess for so long.

"Azula is just mad because she didn't get what she wanted," he muttered.

"Maybe it would help if I got moved to a cell closer to hers. I could calm her down, keep her company."

"That's not for me to decide."

"But you could put in a good word for me, couldn't you? Aren't you friends with the king and that lady advisor?"

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks!"

His frown deepened. "You're weirdly chirpy for someone in prison."

"Actually, I hate being in here. It's boring and small and none of the guards are cute."

"Uh … I'm sorry?"

"It's not your fault." Ty Lee flashed him a smile. "Though if you can get me a cute guard, I'd appreciate it."

Zuko blinked a few times. "Right. Well, I'd better go. The others are probably waiting for me."

She made a humming sound. "Mai did say you were leaving."

"Mai came to see you?"

"To say goodbye." There was a pause, then Ty Lee bit her lip and turned away. "Hey, um … keep her safe for me, will you?"

"Pretty sure Mai can take care of herself."

"Even so."

His voice softened. "Yeah, alright. You take care of yourself as well."

"Of course." She tapped the bars. "Though it's not like I'll be going anywhere."

Zuko didn't understand how she could smile and say such things, but then he guessed that was just Ty Lee.

He nodded to her in parting and left the prisons to regroup with the others, who were being seen off by King Kuei and Biyu. Soon, they were all piled on Appa—a difficult thing now that there were eight of them—and leaving the city behind.

"Next stop is Chameleon Bay!" Sokka declared from where he sat at the reins.

Zuko's gaze met Katara's briefly before shifting to Aang, who was still unconscious and being cradled on her lap. He really hoped Aang woke up soon.


	3. Bonds

Lizard-snakes wriggled their way through Zuko's stomach as he glanced at the blue-clad warriors. They were all big men arrayed in various kinds of blunt and sharp weapons. It wasn't that he was scared—he was confident in his fighting abilities if it came to that—but his experiences in the North hadn't exactly inspired him with the warm fuzzies for adult Water Tribe men. He had to keep reminding himself that he was their ally now and that there was no reason for these men to turn on him or lock him away, even if they did find out about the awful things he'd done in the past. Sokka had vouched for him. Everything was going to be fine.

"And this is my dad," Sokka said, sweeping his hand towards the tallest man of the bunch.

Zuko swallowed. All he saw were harsh lines and assessing eyes set in a face that towered above him. It was like being in front of his father all over again, dwarfed in the shadow of judgement and authority. Then the lines softened, crinkling upwards, and a smile curved the older man's mouth.

"Welcome," Hakoda said, grasping Zuko's forearm. "My son has told me a lot about you."

A tiny breath escaped Zuko's lips. He returned the grip briefly and stepped back, not trusting himself to speak.

Iroh and the others were also introduced, but it seemed Hakoda was more interested in learning his daughter's whereabouts.

"Where's Katara?" he asked suddenly. "Shouldn't she be with you?"

Sokka explained how she was getting Aang settled in one of the tents. Toph was also with her, but they'd be along soon.

The conversation got a bit more sombre at the mention of Aang's condition. Hakoda was the one to break the cloud of gloom by suggesting Sokka take all of them to meet the "prisoners". He smiled when he said the word, the expression amused rather than cruel. It was a lot like the expression Sokka made when he was trying not to laugh. Hakoda then excused himself by saying he had some things to sort out, so perhaps they could all meet again later. Soon, Zuko, Iroh, Mai and Shizue were following Sokka to a different part of the camp.

"I'm telling you it's fine!" someone grumbled from up ahead.

"But if we had a bit more—"

"For the last time, not everything needs to be drenched in salt, you platypus-bear-faced pillock!"

Zuko and Iroh exchanged a startled glance.

"That sounds like Cheng," Iroh observed.

The group rounded a tent and saw a stooped, elderly man swatting at one of the big warrior's hands with a wooden spoon. There was a pot of something bubbling away over a cooking fire in front of him. Then the old man caught sight of them and dropped the spoon with a dramatic cry.

"General Iroh! Prince Zuko!" He hobbled towards them with tears springing to his eyes.

For an unnerving moment, Zuko thought the cook was going to hug him, but Cheng just grinned mistily and said it was good to see them. Iroh greeted his old Pai Sho buddy just as enthusiastically. The helmsman emerged from the tent, drawn by the sound of their voices, and the process repeated itself all over again. It was a messy but happy reunion, intermingled with relief, questions, and also Cheng's complaints about how none of the Water Tribe warriors had any taste when it came to food and how there were never enough spices.

"Where are Jee and Tomoki?" Zuko asked, glancing around.

"Ah, they're probably—"

"Right here."

Jee had come up behind the group with Tomoki and another Water Tribe warrior at his side. The lieutenant looked greyer and had a scar on his cheek that hadn't been there before, but was otherwise unharmed. Tomoki looked the same as always, right down to his wispy beard and the black tufts on his upper lip that he called a moustache. Zuko remembered that Kan and Nozomi had used to tease the firebender about his inability to grow proper facial hair.

Jee's grim expression relaxed slightly. "General Iroh, Prince Zuko. We've been waiting for you."

Zuko let out a breath. This was real. Four of his crew had survived and now they were all together again. In a strange way, it felt like finding a piece of home.

"Is there somewhere more comfortable we can talk?" Iroh asked.

Jee turned to the warrior at his side. "Bato?"

Bato nodded. "Take your time." He clapped a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "C'mon, let's give them some privacy."

Mai said she'd go with the Water Tribe warriors, not having any interest in being part of a crew reunion. Shizue stuck close to Zuko, though she remained silent as they all settled in the tent on the soft fur. The Water Tribe must have gifted it to their "prisoners".

It didn't take long to get the story out of the crew. Just as Sokka had explained, they had fled the North and had been forced to surrender to Hakoda and his warriors. Jee and the others had already lost any desire to return to the navy by then. The siege of the North had shaken them with the sheer power and destruction they'd witnessed, not to mention left many of the crew dead.

"None of us had even wanted to follow Zhao," Tomoki said quietly. "We should have made a stand earlier, but …"

The crew looked down, still weighed by grief and regret. After a moment, Jee picked up the story and explained how they'd realised deserting the navy to return home would achieve nothing. They'd just be hunted down and killed. It wasn't like the Water Tribe warriors would simply let them go either.

"So, you joined them?" Zuko asked.

"Not at first." Jee sighed and rubbed the scar on his cheek. "It's all Cheng's fault, really."

"Cheng?"

The cook cracked a grin and reached into his pocket, pulling out a Pai Sho tile.

"The white lotus," Zuko said, putting the pieces together. "You're part of the Order."

Iroh smiled. "Indeed. He was my second pair of eyes and ears."

"Right I was," Cheng said. "Fat good that did us once we got captured, though. Those warriors wouldn't trust me or let me send any messages, so I couldn't get in contact with the Order. Took some time to earn their trust, I can tell you."

Eventually, as Cheng explained, the crew had come to an agreement with Chief Hakoda. They'd provide strategic information in return for the chief's protection. The goal had been to seek refuge in Ba Sing Se, but that had been abandoned when the Fire Nation had attacked the city. They'd realised that nowhere was safe and there was no point trying to wait out the war.

"We're still soldiers," Tomoki said with a shrug. "It's not our nature to stand on the sidelines. Plus, we heard you'd both sided with the Avatar."

As the crew put it, they'd followed Zuko and Iroh for three years. They had no love for Fire Lord Ozai, so when the prince and his uncle had got branded traitors, it had only convinced them that fighting for the Fire Nation—at least under its current ruler—was not the way to end the war.

"All we want is peace," Jee concluded. "We don't want to betray the Fire Nation, but …"

"I understand," Zuko said. "I feel the same."

Iroh gripped his nephew's shoulder. "This is the best way. We must work with the other nations. Only then can we have peace."

oOo

"You're rather quiet."

Zuko glanced at Shizue. The group had been moving to meet with Hakoda and the other warriors, but he paused now. It was not often she initiated conversation with him. "What?"

"I've been watching you. You've barely said a word for a while now." She stared at him shrewdly. "Something is bothering you."

He looked away. "It's Aang. He still hasn't woken."

"I thought you were the one who insisted he would. Are you saying now he won't?"

"No. I know he's trying, I know he will, but ... I just wonder how long we can wait."

She tilted her head in a questioning manner.

"The comet is coming. The eclipse plan looks like our best bet to stop my father, and then there's Mum …" He swallowed. "If Aang doesn't wake soon, what are we supposed to do? Sure, we can fight without him if it comes to that, but it's supposed to be his destiny to stop the Fire Lord. That's what everyone says. What if we can't succeed without him? And you said my mother has been stuck on that island for three years. I can't just sit around here and wait for Aang to wake up while she's trapped. I just can't."

"It would be reckless to try saving her without the Avatar."

His heart quickened a little. "But not impossible?"

"The spirits on that island are dangerous." Shizue folded her arms across her chest. "Do you really think I would have wasted time searching for the Avatar in Ba Sing Se if I thought there was another way?"

"Then what are we supposed to do? Just keep waiting and hoping? It's been two weeks already!"

She was quiet for a moment. The others were far ahead now, leaving just the two of them standing near the tent.

"There has to be a way," Zuko murmured. "A way to make him wake. You know about fire healing. Isn't there anything I can do to—"

"I am not a fire healer."

"I know that, but—"

"I can't help you."

"Then take me to someone who can!" He stepped closer. "You know where the other fire healers are. I remember you and Mother talking about me being one of them, and I know you had some kind of mission, so that means you have to—"

"I don't think you understand." Her eyes hardened. "My mission was to ensure people like you don't exist."

It was like he had been punched in the gut. All the breath got caught in his throat and he backed up a step. "What?"

"You are a threat. The only reason you were not dealt with years ago is because your mother begged me not to. She insisted we could keep your abilities a secret, that there would be no problems so long as we were careful."

His pulse throbbed in his neck and his mouth went dry.

"Your mother was wrong. Now she is lost, and _you_ —you just had to go and form an energy bond with the Avatar and heal all those people." Shizue curled her fingers into his tunic, holding him fast. "Be grateful, Prince Zuko. I still have enough love for Ursa not to take you to them. You would never leave that place if I did."

She released him and walked off without another word. Zuko was left staring at her back, his heart lodged somewhere in his throat and his stomach twisting.

oOo

It was difficult to focus on the meeting that night. They ate fresh fish and Cheng's stew—not too salty, just as Cheng had wanted—and discussed what they would do next. Hakoda agreed to support the eclipse invasion and suggested they send a messenger to get the Northern Water Tribe on their side as well. Zuko tried to follow the conversation as they moved onto the finer points of the plan, but his mind kept going back to what Shizue had said.

_"My mission was to ensure people like you don't exist."_

He swallowed and tightened his grasp on the bowl of stew. Had Shizue been some kind of assassin to get rid of fire healers? Had his mother been one as well? Did that mean they had killed people like him before?

Abruptly, he placed his bowl down and stood up. He was going to think himself into circles if he kept worrying about this.

"Where are you going?" Sokka asked. "We haven't finished discussing the—"

"Uncle is the tactician. Ask him."

"But you're—"

Zuko walked off before Sokka could finish his sentence. It didn't take him long to reach the tent where Aang was resting. The smaller boy was tucked up in what looked like Katara's sleeping bag. Black hair had grown over his head to cover his arrow tattoo and he looked much thinner. If he didn't wake soon, he'd probably just waste away.

"I won't let it end this way," Zuko muttered. "You're the only one who can help me save Mum."

His mother would tell him the truth about the fire healers. She had to.

He sat next to Aang's comatose form and grasped his hand. Both he and Katara had tried every healing technique they knew to get Aang to wake up. None of it had worked. Still, the energy bond was unique. It allowed Zuko to communicate with Aang on a level that went beyond the physical. Maybe that was the key.

"Please work," he whispered.

"Wait!"

Zuko flinched and glanced over his shoulder to see Katara enter the tent, the heavy flap settling shut behind her.

"You're going to link yourself to him again, aren't you?" she said.

"Aang needs to wake up. We can't keep waiting for him."

"I know, but you shouldn't do this alone." She knelt in front of Zuko and held his free hand. "Let me help."

He blinked. "What?"

"Use me as an anchor. I've thought about it and I think it's possible."

"Katara, that's—"

"The first time you linked with him, you completely shattered your sense of self and almost didn't come back. The second time it was an accident, right?" She squeezed his hand. "Aang called you to him when you were asleep and your defences lowered. Who knows what would've happened had I not woken you in time and broken the link? It was hard enough just trying to wake you then."

Zuko averted his gaze.

"Let me help," she said softly. "If you're grounded to me, I can get you out if something goes wrong. I can help you maintain the link without putting yourself at risk."

"It won't work. I don't even have an energy bond with you. It only happens when I give up a lot of my chi to heal someone."

"Don't you remember Shang's scrolls? You can control energy connections. That has to mean you can create them as well."

Zuko pulled his hand away from hers. "You don't know what you're asking. Being connected to me isn't a game. It's dangerous. I can barely control my abilities."

"I've helped you control your healing in the past. I know I can help you with this as well. Trust me." She clasped his hand again. "Trust in our bond. We've already linked our energy twice before to do joint healings. This will work, Zuko. I know it."

He met her eyes and saw the determination, the stubbornness. "I don't want to hurt you," he admitted. "I could never live with myself if I did that."

"You won't hurt me."

Zuko held her gaze for a long moment and then let out a breath. "Fine. I'll try."

She smiled encouragingly. Her hand was smooth and warm and he focussed on that—the feel of her touch, the point of contact. He inhaled and called upon his energy, picturing it as a golden thread passing through his meridian paths to connect with hers through their palms. In an instant he felt a caress of ocean and rain. Katara. He exhaled as their energy intertwined, holding a part of him to her like a lifeline.

"I've got you," she whispered. "Now go get him."

Zuko tightened his hold on Aang's hand. Then he closed his eyes and let himself slip through the door of air and elemental power into a world of mist.

oOo

It wasn't difficult to find Aang. The golden thread led Zuko straight to the boy, who immediately pounced on him in an attack of hugs and exclamations. In short, a typical Aang greeting.

"Easy there," Zuko said, pulling back. "Listen, I've come to get you out of here."

"You know how to get me out?" Aang grinned so widely his face looked like it might split. "What are we waiting for? Let's go, go, go! I can't wait to see a place that isn't just big, misty nothingness. Oh, and Appa and Momo and Katara and Sokka and—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You missed everyone and can't wait to see them."

Aang beamed. "So, how do we get out?"

"Uh, I haven't fully figured out that part."

The smile drooped a little. "Oh."

"But I do have an idea."

Aang perked up again. "Great! What should I do? Do you need me to do anything? Because I've been stuck down here for a while—"

"Two weeks, actually."

 _"What?"_ Aang's eyes bugged wide and he ran his hands over his head. Weirdly, he was still bald in this place. "Two weeks? I've really been here for two weeks?"

"Roughly."

Aang latched onto Zuko like a leech. "You've gotta get me out of here! I can't be stuck here! I have to—"

"Relax. I'm not leaving you again unless you're coming with me."

Tears sprang to Aang's eyes. "Thanks, Zuko." He sniffed. "You're a good friend."

Zuko just sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, I need you to focus."

Another sniff. "Alright." Sniff. "I'm focussed."

Zuko frowned, though he could understand Aang's weepiness. The poor kid had been through a lot and had never been very good at being alone. "Okay, first I need you to tell me if you can sense your body."

"Not really." Aang rubbed the back of his hand against his drippy nose. "It's like there's a block."

"Figured as much."

He remembered how Aang had mentioned the first time that he couldn't follow because his path was blocked. At first, both boys had assumed it was because Aang's body was too damaged, but now Zuko was convinced that wasn't the case. The fact Aang was trapped in this place of misty nothingness didn't make sense. Something had gone wrong.

"What about the energy bond connecting us?" Zuko asked. "You can sense that, right? That's how you called me here last time."

"Yeah."

"Then that has to be it!"

"Er?"

Zuko folded his arms. "Really? You haven't figured it out yet?"

Aang blinked a few times.

"Geez, Aang, it means you're the one blocking yourself."

"What?" Aang laughed and swatted him on the arm as if he'd made a funny joke. "No way. I would have got out long ago if that were the case."

"Then why were you able to help me leave the first time? Why can I come and go but you can't?"

"I-I dunno. Maybe this place just has a thing against Avatars?" He let out a weak laugh.

Zuko held his gaze steadily. "Look, Katara used the Spirit Oasis water on you. Your body is fine. I think … I think it's your spirit that's not."

Aang lowered his head. "My spirit, huh?"

"Seems that way. About the only thing Katara and I have been able to tell about your condition is that your energy is pretty twisted."

"Then what should I do?"

"Uh, figure out a way to remove your block so you can leave this place. That's a good start."

Aang sighed and sat on the ground. "I'm all for getting out of here, but I have no idea how to remove this block thingy. It's just there!" He threw his arms up in the air dramatically.

"So, think. What's troubling you? What's holding you back from waking up?"

"Nothing! I want to go back more than anything, but …"

"But?" Zuko looked at him expectantly. "What is it, Aang?"

"Oh man." Aang sighed and flopped onto his back. "It really is my fault. I think it's 'cause I lost my connection to my past lives."

"Wait, that's still a thing?"

Aang nodded morosely and swung up to sit upright. "I tried and tried but I couldn't find any of them." He balled his hands into fists and screwed up his face. "I'm a failure. I failed the world once and now I'm doing it again."

"Hey." Zuko crouched next to him and gripped his shoulder. "It's going to be fine. I told you before, right? I can still sense the power within you. They're not really gone."

"Sure feels that way."

"That's just the spiritual block. You can work through this. I know you can."

Aang paused and glanced up at him curiously. "You know, you're starting to sound a bit like Guru Pathik. Have you been getting into the banana-onion juice?"

"Gross, no. That stuff's disgusting."

"I'm kidding." Aang smiled. "You would make a pretty good guru, though. You've got that energy, spiritual sensing thing going on."

"Great. I'll keep that in mind if traitor prince doesn't work out."

Aang scrunched his nose. "Sarcasm?"

"The fact you have to ask is worrying. Now focus." Zuko settled into a more comfortable position. "What exactly about being unable to connect with your past lives is troubling you? What's holding you back from wanting to wake up?"

There was a long pause.

"Aang, come on. You have to work with me here."

Every second Zuko spent in this place was a drain on his energy. Still, he could feel the thread of ocean and rain encircling him. All he had to do was give it a tug and he knew he would be pulled back to the tent. He just didn't want to do that unless Aang was coming with him.

"I'm scared," Aang confessed in a small voice. "Before you saved me, I saw all the cosmic energy that fuels the Avatar State just fall apart. I saw my past lives turn to dust and slip away from me. Even if you say you can sense the power there, I can't at all. I can't feel anything." He brought his legs up to his chest and buried his face against his knees. "I'm nothing like this. I can't help anyone."

"Aang—"

"What am I supposed to do? I'm so scared, Zuko. Everyone is counting on me. I'm supposed to save the world. That's all I've heard since the day I got told I was the Avatar, but now … I might as well be a normal kid. How can I face them like this? How can I go back?"

"Because you have to."

A particularly snotty sniff. "Is that supposed to comfort me? Because it's not working."

"I didn't mean it like that." Zuko rubbed the base of his neck. Well, maybe a little. He sighed. "All I'm saying is there's no point staying here. Nothing will change. You'll just be trapped in this place."

"I don't want that. I hate this place."

"Right. So you need to let it go. I know it's scary, I know we don't have all the answers right now, but everyone is waiting for you." His voice softened. "I promise I'll help you find a way to connect with your past lives again. You won't be alone in this, Aang."

Aang tentatively raised his head. "You really believe I can connect with them again?"

"Of course. You're the Avatar." Zuko held out his hand. "Now can we please get out of this misty hellhole?"

Aang nodded and gripped his hand. His grey eyes widened. "What is that? That feeling? It … it kind of reminds me of Katara."

"That's because it is her." A faint smile. "She's going to guide us back. You just have to say the word."

"Ka-Katara? She's in on this too? You two are connected right now?"

"Only at her insistence." Zuko's expression sobered. "She's been at your side almost this whole time. Don't leave her waiting any longer."

Aang grinned and closed his eyes. "I'm ready. I'm ready to go back."

"Then don't let go."

Zuko tugged on the thread of ocean and rain. A part of the mist opened up above them, and then it was as if they were being cradled by a gentle wave and carried to shore. Katara had come through just as promised.

oOo

"Did it work?"

Zuko blinked and found himself sitting in the tent and meeting a pair of blue eyes. "It worked."

Katara sighed in relief. "Thank the spirits."

He released her hand, allowing their energy to unlink, and turned to face Aang. The boy still hadn't moved.

"Wait," she said, giving Zuko an anxious look. "I thought you said it worked."

"I thought it did …"

Worried, they both leaned over Aang and searched for any sign of movement beyond the rise and fall of his chest. His fingers gave a twitch.

"There!" Katara grabbed Zuko's arm. "Did you see that?"

He nodded and held his breath. Eventually, Aang gave a small groan and his eyes opened with groggy slowness.

"Aang!" Katara threw her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Katara." Aang leaned into her and breathed out a happy sigh. "It's really good to see you." He peered around her to catch sight of the prince. "And Zuko. You're both here. Wait! Someone pinch me so I know this isn't a dream."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "It's not a dream, idiot." His expression softened. "You're really here. You made it out."

Aang's chin wobbled. "Thanks for coming to help me. Both of you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't."

"I'm sure you would've figured it out eventually." Zuko stood up. "Anyway, I'll let the others know you're awake. No doubt they'll want to hug attack you as well."

He left the tent to sound of Katara asking Aang whether he was feeling okay. As predicted, the others were very relieved to hear that Aang was awake. Even Mai smiled a little and said she was glad the runt had pulled through.

"You woke him," Shizue observed, coming to stand beside Zuko. "Somehow, you figured out a way."

"That's what my abilities do," he said flatly. "Help people. But I guess you wouldn't care about that."

"If that was all fire healers could do, things would be very different."

He swallowed. There was a long pause.

Shizue made a tsking noise. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. Much has happened, and there is much you need to learn."

"Then tell me. Help me understand, because right now I have no idea if I should even trust you."

"I won't harm you. That you can trust."

His brow creased. "I don't know if I can believe you."

"Your mother asked me to protect you. That is the duty I have chosen to follow." She held his gaze. "Besides, thanks to you the Avatar is awake. Now we can save Ursa."

Zuko let out a breath. Any other doubts were drowned by the thought of being reunited with his mother. He had waited so long. Regardless of whether he could trust Shizue or not, she was the key to finding the island. That was just a fact.

"Get some rest," Shizue advised. "It's going to be a long journey."


	4. Silencer

The next morning, Shizue came to the group as they sat around the remnants of a cooking fire. She insisted that they leave for the island that day. Zuko was startled into choking on his breakfast. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Aang about it due to the kid falling asleep not long after waking from his coma (though, fortunately, into a natural sleep). Of course, Aang was happy to help Zuko find his mother—he was always happy to help everyone, even if he'd only known the person for a few seconds—but Zuko still felt bad. Relieved, but bad. Aang hadn't even been awake for a day.

Then there was the issue of how they were going to get to the island. Shizue wanted to go on Appa, as the place was far and flying would cut out days of travel.

"Appa won't be able to carry all of us," Sokka pointed out. "Not for this."

"Sokka's right," Aang said. "Sure, we could all squeeze on the saddle, but the weight would be too much for Appa. He'd be slower and we'd have to stop a lot so he can rest."

Appa gave a low rumble.

"Aw, don't worry, buddy." Aang petted him on his furry face. "We're not judging. You're still the best bison ever."

The airbender got a slobbery lick for that.

Shizue folded her arms across her chest. "Then Prince Zuko, the Avatar and I will go."

Katara stiffened. "Just the three of you?"

"Why not? It will be faster and safer."

"Safer how?" Zuko questioned, narrowing his eyes. He still didn't trust her. "You haven't explained much about the island except that spirits inhabit it."

Her jaw tightened. "I told you that place is cursed. It plays on your heart and fears, turns you against each other."

"You mean it messes with your mind," Mai concluded.

Shizue nodded. "The more people, the more chances something will go wrong."

"I'm sure we can handle it," Sokka said between a mouthful of food. "Can't be any worse than the swamp, and we survived that."

"This place is different. Trust me on that."

Iroh stroked his beard and glanced at Shizue. "You said the island is in the southwest, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm not sure it would be a good idea to travel on Appa. Heading in that direction will take you close to the Fire Nation, and the bison is easy to spot. You'll likely find yourself with a fleet of Fire Nation ships on your tail."

"That's true," Zuko said, frowning at his bowl of leftovers. "Appa is the main reason I was able to find you all those times back when I was, uh …"

"Trying to capture me?" Aang supplied.

"Yeah. That."

"And the Fire Nation needs a win," Iroh continued. "Many were lost in the battle for Ba Sing Se. Those in charge will need to redeem themselves in Ozai's eyes. They will not let you move around so easily."

Toph leaned back on her palms and wriggled her toes, dislodging some of the dirt stuck between them. "So, what do we do?"

"What does the chameleon-mouse do when the owl-cat goes hunting?"

"Er … stay in its hole?" Aang guessed.

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead. "Uncle, no weird animal metaphors. Just get to the point."

"Camouflage," Sokka murmured. "The chameleon-mouse camouflages itself." He shot to his feet. "I know what to do! Wait here!"

Zuko frowned at his uncle while the others watched Sokka run off towards the chief's tent. "Does everything have to be a teaching moment with you?" he muttered to Iroh. "You could have just said what you were thinking."

"I could have, but is it not a good thing to help others exercise their mind? After all, give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."

Zuko groaned. "Never mind. I don't know why I bother."

Iroh smiled and went back to sipping his tea. Eventually, Sokka returned with Hakoda. The plan was soon divulged: they'd use a Fire Nation ship to get away from the bay and slip past any blockades. It was the perfect cover.

"The Fire Nation won't suspect us if we look like one of their own," Sokka explained. "Plus, we won't have to split up again and Appa won't get tired from having to travel all that long distance while carrying us."

No one had any real complaints, though Mai did ask how they planned to steal a Fire Nation ship. Sokka smiled and said he and his dad had it all figured out, but they were going to need Katara's help.

"Mine?" she said in surprise.

Hakoda raised his eyebrows. "You're a master waterbender, aren't you?"

She stared at him for a breath and then her lips curved upwards. "Yeah. I am."

"Then we'll be counting on you."

Her smile widened. Zuko was glad for her. He'd known there had been some tension between her and Hakoda, but it seemed like father and daughter were on their way to resolving their issues.

Aang cleared his throat. "Hey, if you need another waterbender, I can—"

"No, Aang," Katara said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "It's best if you rest for now."

"But I—"

"You're still recovering." She smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry, I've got this."

He lowered his gaze.

Hakoda clapped his hands together. "Well, I guess that's that. Leave the ship to the Water Tribe. We'll make sure the job gets done."

"And when can we expect this ship?" Shizue asked, arching her eyebrow.

"If all goes well, we'll have it tonight."

This satisfied Shizue and also brought the impromptu meeting to end. Katara went off with her brother and father to go discuss strategies with the other warriors. Zuko seized his chance to pull Aang aside.

"Sorry about this," he said. "I didn't mean for it all to get shoved on you after you just woke up, but—"

"It's fine." Aang grinned at him. "I really want to help you find your mum. Besides, you're worried about her, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then that's all there is to it."

Zuko swallowed against the sudden tightness in his throat. "Thanks, Aang. Really."

"Hey, don't mention it. That's what friends are for." Aang glanced the other way and his voice became a bit more sombre. "Honestly, I'm just glad I can be of use. I haven't felt like much of an Avatar of late …"

Both boys were quiet for a moment.

"There's no point beating yourself up over what happened," Zuko said gently. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah …"

He gripped the younger boy's shoulder. "You know, maybe you should take this chance to rest. Katara is right that you need it."

"I've been resting for two weeks."

"You've been in a coma. That's different."

Aang sighed. "I don't want to sleep, and I … I don't want to be alone. I've had enough of that."

"Well, I was going to see how Jee and the others are going. Want to join?"

It was like a beam of sunlight touched Aang's expression. "Sure. I'd like that."

oOo

The cell was so tiny. Azula sat on the bed, glaring at the stone walls that kept her caged. By now, a letter would have been sent to the Fire Nation to inform her father that the army had been defeated and she had been taken prisoner. Just the thought made her chest tighten and her mouth dry.

"I can fix this," she muttered feverishly. "I can fix this. It's just a minor setback. Father will—"

No, no, no. She couldn't hope for Father to understand. He wouldn't. He never had been sympathetic towards mistakes, no matter how insignificant. Everything had to be perfect with him. She had to be perfect.

But she had lost.

Azula swallowed and dug her nails into her thighs. She had a mad urge to scratch and scratch and scratch, to peel off this skin of failure from which she couldn't seem to escape and which she so detested. If only she could get out of this cell. Then she could—

Could what? Try to take over Ba Sing Se again? Try to capture the Avatar?

Her nails dug in deeper. She didn't even care about the stupid city. She didn't care about that bald brat either. Everything she had done had been for her father.

 _"You could look for me,"_ her mother's voice whispered. _"Isn't that what you really want?"_

Azula gritted her teeth so hard it felt like they'd shatter.

_"You're angry that Zuko left you behind. You wanted to go with him, didn't you? You want to see me again."_

"I want to see you so I can tell you how much I despise you," she hissed. "You treated me like I was a monster."

_"No. I loved you. I still do."_

"Liar! You were scared of me even though it was Zuko who was supposedly so unnatural and needed to be watched! You were scared of me, your own child!"

Silence.

"Mother?" Azula stood up. "Mother? Answer me!"

 _"I was not scared of you, Azula. I was worried."_ Her voice softened. _"You could have been more than this. You still can."_

Azula screamed and threw a ball of flames at the wall. All four were already a blackened mess. She breathed heavily and willed the stinging in her eyes to go away.

oOo

The sun was setting, turning the sky a streaky blend of orange and pink. Sokka found Mai training on the beach a bit farther from camp. She was using an old bit of driftwood as a target for her knives. Her ability to hit the same spot every time was freakishly accurate.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked.

"Could ask you the same."

"I'm scouting."

Mai collected her knives from the piece of wood. "I wanted some time alone."

"Right. You don't really do the people thing."

She ignored this comment.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and scuffed his boot at the sand. "So, what do you reckon this island adventure to save Zuko's mum is going to be like?"

"Long." She began throwing the knives again.

His brow creased. "Something wrong? You seem, uh, pricklier than usual."

Mai heaved a sigh and turned to face him. "Do I look like a boy?"

"W-what?"

Out of all the responses, that was the one he had least expected.

She touched her hair. It had grown a bit longer and was beginning to sneak down her forehead and around her ears and neck. Her hair had used to be so sleek and straight, but the uneven shortness of it now made it seem fluffy—dare he say cute—though saying as much to her would probably end with him resembling a pincushion.

"Your dad," she muttered, not meeting his gaze, "he thought I was a boy. So did the other warriors. So did Jin. Even the Dai Li did."

"Mai," he said with a tremor of a laugh, "is that all that's bothering you?"

Faint colour dusted her cheeks and she looked the other way. "It's not funny."

"Sorry." He held his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just you really don't look like a boy."

Sure, she was on the taller side and a bit flat-chested. Her face was angular and often looked sharper because of her reluctance to show any emotion except boredom, but there was a definite feminine edge to her—the soft lips, the long, thick eyelashes. Mai wasn't boyish at all.

"Honest," he said, perceiving her doubt. "You don't look like a boy."

"Then why does everyone keep assuming I am one?" Her tone was flat and her eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of vulnerability in the way she touched her hair again. "Is it the hair?"

Sokka stepped closer and played with the strand she had touched. "Your hair is fine and you're fine. Trust me. If people are thinking you're a boy, they must be thinking you're a very pretty, girly looking boy."

Her eyes widened a fraction. "Did you just … call me pretty?"

"Uh." He coughed to clear his throat. "I guess I did."

Mai stared at him for a moment and then let out a snort. "I'd say I'm flattered, but you think seal jerky deserves its own food group and you don't even know how to clean your socks."

"Hey!"

Her mouth twitched, but she said nothing more and went back to throwing her knives. Sokka watched her for a moment before breaking the silence.

"So, is causing pointy pain to people your only specialty?"

A faint crease formed on her brow. "What?"

"Well, you only ever use knives and stuff, right?"

"Your point?"

"It just got me wondering. I mean, you're really good at what you do. Really good. But there's only a limited amount of knives you can carry."

Mai raised her eyebrow. "The idea is not to let people get that close."

"Right, right, but don't you ever worry? I know you've ended up with only one knife during battle before. What do you do when you run out?"

"I do know hand-to-hand combat," she said dryly. "I'd have to be an idiot not to know how to defend myself without a weapon."

"I see …" He grinned. "So, you any good?"

"Good enough to take you down."

Sokka's smile widened. "That so? Then how about a little match? Just you and me."

"You want to fight me?"

"Why not? Still got to kill some time before the big mission tonight."

She turned away. "Pass."

"Aw, c'mon, Mai. It'll be fun."

"Still going to pass."

He folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, I get it. You're afraid I'm going to beat you."

"No."

"It's okay, it's okay. I understand. I mean, aside from my natural talent as a warrior, Shizue did train me and—"

"Ugh. Alright." The knives vanished in an instant. "I'll fight you if it means you'll shut up."

Sokka grinned even wider and took up a fighting stance opposite her. "No weapons."

"No weapons," she agreed, albeit mockingly.

She closed in like lightning. Her fists blurred before his eyes, and he stepped back with a lurch of his heart and brought up his arms to block.

"Fast," he observed.

Mai's tiny smile flickered into play and then she was coming at him again. The style was similar to Shizue's—ruthless, quick and with little room for mistakes on his part. Both went straight for his vitals with a string of rapid blows, though Mai favoured her elbows and straight punches, intermixed with sneaky low kicks and knee jabs to knock him off balance. He was glad for all the training he'd received.

Sokka caught her wrist and pulled it up behind her back, trapping her against him with an arm around her stomach. "I have to admit," he panted, "I had no idea you could fight like this."

She struggled against his hold. "Like I said, I'd have to be stupid not to know how to fight without a weapon. There's no saying what will happen in a battle."

"Right, but in this case I've got you pinned. Might as well surrender now."

She relaxed all of a sudden before kicking him hard in the shin. He yelped and released her on instinct, only to find himself tumbling onto his back as she got her foot around his and tugged. In a second she was on top of him. They rolled and grappled, sand getting everywhere.

"Not the groin, not the groin!" he exclaimed, just avoiding her knee.

"Ugh, stay still," she grunted in frustration.

"No way!"

They continued to wrestle with each other until Sokka managed to get on top of her, pinning her down with his legs and trapping her arms against the sand. Both teens were panting. Her cheeks were flushed and her tunic had loosened a little during the struggle, baring one shoulder and the red cloth of her breast bindings. All intention of crowing about his win vanished from his mind. Instead, his pulse quickened and his mouth went dry. It was just a bit of skin, but it was a bit of skin he had never seen before. Not on her.

Sokka swallowed and met her eyes. Her lips parted, drawing attention to the softness. A charged moment, a held breath.

"Get off," Mai snapped.

He released her and rolled off without question. She got to her feet, fixing up her tunic and grumbling about all the sand that had got in her clothes and hair. He was much slower to stand.

"Well, I hope you're satisfied," she said.

"Huh?"

"About my hand-to-hand fighting skills."

"Oh. Right. You're good."

Mai flicked more sand out of her hair. "Ugh. Why did I agree to fight you? I hate sand."

His mouth twitched at all her faces of disgust. It was like every grain of sand was a personal insult and she wanted to curse the whole beach into oblivion. Her hair was even more of a mess.

A rustling noise came from the trees bordering the beach. They both froze.

"What was that?" he murmured.

Knives flashed between her fingers. "Let's find out."

They drew closer to the trees as the rustling got louder. There was a drumming sound. No, footsteps. Someone was running. Or was it more than one person? The beat sounded uneven. Sokka tightened his grip on his club.

A boy broke through the trees with a girl hot on his heels. Her auburn hair blazed in the afternoon sun. Sokka's eyes widened as he watched her pounce on the boy and shove him face-first into the sand.

"Got you!" she announced, though she seemed more irritated than pleased.

"Suki?" Sokka exclaimed.

The girl raised her head and her jaw dropped. "Sokka?"

"It _is_ you!"

She smiled. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to tie up a firebender, would you? He burned my rope."

Mai stepped forward. "Stand him up against the tree."

Suki didn't question the odd instruction. In seconds, the dark-haired boy was pinned to the trunk by knives.

"Nice," Suki observed.

Mai flicked a bit of sand from her sleeve.

Sokka was still in a daze. He couldn't stop staring at Suki. "I can't believe you're here! What's going on? Who's this guy? Where are the other Kyoshi Warri—mmph."

His words were cut short as she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down into a kiss. "You talk too much," she murmured.

Sokka blinked. He stared at her face—the big blue eyes and confident smile. She was familiar and beautiful, but in that moment he just felt confused. Almost like he'd done something wrong.

"Right," Mai said in her driest tone. "Well, I'll give you two some privacy."

He had an odd urge to go after the scarred girl as she marched down the beach, but he didn't. He didn't move or say a word.

"Who was that boy?" Suki asked curiously. "I don't remember him travelling with you before."

"That's Mai, and she's not a boy. Why does everyone always think that? Isn't it obvious she's female?"

Suki raised her eyebrows. "Sorry, I didn't know."

He realised he had got too defensive and quickly forced a smile. "Ah, sorry. Mai's a friend. She's been through a lot, so do me a favour and don't let her know you assumed she was a boy. It'll just make her grumpy."

"Got it."

He let out a breath. "But, wow, you're really here. What happened? I thought you were helping refugees cross to Ba Sing Se."

"I was." She jerked her thumb at her captive. "Then I ran into this one."

Sokka peered at the firebender. He looked to be in his mid to late teens and had skin dark enough to be Water Tribe. He was also dressed in casual Earth Kingdom attire.

"He doesn't look like a soldier," Sokka observed. "Is he a colonial?"

"Don't know, but he's a slippery one. Caught him stealing important documents. We locked him up for questioning, but he escaped and ended up leading me on this chase."

Sokka frowned. "Well, let's see what he has to say now. There's no way he's getting free of those knives."

She nodded and approached the boy. "Hey, I've got some questions for you."

The firebender raised his head. This time it was Sokka's jaw that dropped. Those eyes. They were the same.

"Pale gold," he murmured. "Your eyes are pale gold."

Something flickered in the boy's expression. "So? It's just a colour."

"No." Sokka stepped closer. "I know that's not a common colour. You're one of them, aren't you?"

The boy raised his chin. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do."

Suki scrunched her nose. "One of what? Sokka? Do you know him?"

"I'll explain later. For now, we need to get this one back to camp." Sokka held the boy's gaze. "There's someone he needs to meet."

oOo

The boy's name was Yuzo. He didn't say much, but Zuko noticed the way those pale gold eyes followed him everywhere. That was the look of a person who knew about fire healers. The question was why Yuzo still refused to speak when he had obviously recognised he and Zuko were the same.

"Give me a moment alone with him and I'll get him talking," Shizue said, shooting Yuzo a dark look.

"Like I'm really going to leave you alone with him," Zuko muttered.

"You don't need to sound so suspicious. I'll just loosen his tongue a bit."

"Or we could leave torture out of this."

"He's a fire healer."

"So am I!"

There was a tense pause.

Shizue grabbed Zuko's arm and pulled him away from the others. "Listen to me," she said in a low voice so no one else could hear. "There are only two reasons why this boy would be here. The first is he's like you—a free walker, someone who was never taken by the Silencers."

"Silencers?"

"Those who keep the secrets. Those who will do anything to ensure the Children of the Undying Fire remain a buried truth."

"You mean people like you," he concluded.

She ignored this comment and stared at Yuzo through narrowed eyes. "The second is that he never needed to be found in the first place."

"Right. And that's bad because …"

"It means someone let him go." Her fingers dug into his arm. "That is not a good thing, Prince Zuko. Fire healers never get released. Never."

Zuko wrenched his arm free. "Are you even hearing yourself? You talk about making fire healers not exist and keeping them locked away, and you expect me to listen to anything you have to say?" His voice harshened into a hiss. "I'd trust him more than I trust you right now."

He stomped back to where Yuzo was trapped in a mass of rock, courtesy of Toph, and being guarded by Iroh and Suki. Sokka had left with Katara and the other warriors to carry out the ship commandeering mission. Just because they'd found a fire healer didn't mean they could put their plans on hold.

"Can you give us a bit of privacy?" Zuko asked Iroh and Suki.

Iroh nodded, but Suki took a moment to glare at Yuzo and make a gesture with her hands to warn she'd be watching. It seemed he'd got on her bad side while forcing her to chase him all over the bay area.

Zuko waited until they were both out of earshot before he turned to Yuzo. "I know you're a fire healer," he said bluntly. "I know you know I am as well."

Yuzo said nothing.

Zuko sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, you're the first fire healer I've met. I don't know anything about this, about myself, and that woman"—he nodded to where Shizue was watching them—"she could probably tell me everything, but I can't trust a thing she says."

"She's a Silencer," Yuzo observed.

"Right. Wait, you know about that?"

"You start to get a sense for them after a while. It's the way they look at you."

Zuko thought of the intense looks Shizue had given him before her memories had been restored. Even when he was a child, she had always watched him. A shadow waiting.

"You're right not to trust her," Yuzo murmured. "Silencers don't give a damn about us. All they care about is keeping secrets." He tilted his head to the side. "Why are you even letting her travel with you?"

"She's the only one who knows anything about the island where my mother is trapped."

"Ah."

Zuko looked at him more closely. It seemed like this guy knew his stuff. "These secrets you mentioned, do you know what they are? Do you know what the Silencers are trying to hide?"

A faint smile curved Yuzo's mouth. "Sorry, can't help you there. I don't have a death wish."

"But you do know."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Get me out of this rock and ensure your Silencer can't slit my throat and maybe then I'll feel like talking."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder to where Shizue had been standing, but she was gone. He turned back to Yuzo. "She won't hurt you. Not if I ask her not to."

"Yeah, I'm not buying that. You admitted yourself that you don't trust her."

Zuko lowered his gaze, knowing it was true.

"This is all on you, my friend. You know my terms. I'm not saying a word while she's here."

"I just can't get rid of her."

"Then I guess you don't really want to hear what I have to say."

Zuko frowned at the dark, hawkish-faced boy. "You're kind of annoying, you know that?"

"People do tell me that sometimes." Yuzo relaxed as much as he was able to while trapped up to his neck in rock. "If you see that little earthbender, can you tell her to make my prison more habitable? Maybe a chair?"

Zuko rolled his eyes and walked over to join Iroh and Suki.

"Well?" Iroh prompted.

"Nothing," Zuko answered. "He knows things, but he's not going to talk."

Suki folded her arms across her chest. "Figures. He wouldn't even say what he was doing with the documents he stole."

"What were they?" Zuko asked. "You never said."

"A list of all the refugees who travelled by ferry to Ba Sing Se over the past three months."

Zuko's brow creased. "Why would Yuzo care about that?"

"Beats me."

Iroh stroked his beard. "A mysterious new friend indeed."

"Mysterious maybe," Suki allowed, "but friend? I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. The guy is a liar and a thief."

Zuko's frown deepened. She was probably right, but then where did that leave him? He had finally found another fire healer. He had found someone who could give him answers. Now he had a choice: trust Shizue, the woman who had inferred she was a Silencer, or trust this boy he didn't even know. Either way, it seemed he had to take a risk.


	5. Who to Trust

Zuko stood on the shore and looked towards the horizon. The sun was beginning to stretch its fingers to the sky in a fragile haze of light. Wind ruffled his hair and stirred the water surrounding the bay. Soon, it would be time to set sail. The ship was ready, the supplies were all packed and secured on board. All they waited on now were those making their goodbyes, including the chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

Hakoda and some of the warriors were joining the expedition to help run the ship and prepare for the eclipse, though Zuko suspected the chief just wanted to spend more time with his children. Jee, Tomoki, Cheng and the old helmsman were also coming. Even Suki had chosen to travel with them; however, Zuko knew that had very little to do with him or his mother. The whole village burning thing hadn't exactly warmed Suki to him.

Then there was Yuzo. No one had been sure what to do with him, but it had been agreed that letting him go was not an option. For now, he was being kept in the ship's hold. Zuko could still remember the boy's expression as the door had been shut on him—betrayed and simmering with anger.

Footsteps caught Zuko's attention. His body tensed. He knew from the grounded yet light tread that it was Shizue. A part of him wanted to tell her to leave, for there was nothing he wanted to hear from her right now—not after all her comments about fire healers—but something held him back.

She was still the woman who had helped to raise him. She had still kept him safe in her own way.

Shizue did not say anything and simply stood beside him, also gazing towards the distance. He looked at her profile and found he could not read her expression. Everything about her was guarded and hidden behind wall upon wall. Still, there was a certain tightness about her jaw that suggested she was thinking deeply about something.

"What?" he finally asked. "What is it?"

"I … thought about what you said last night. How you can't trust me."

"Can you blame me for not trusting you?"

"No. I suppose any sane person would feel the same." She turned to face him. "Even so, I can't change who I was or the things I've done. My past as a Silencer will always be a part of me."

His brow creased. "Look, I'm the last person who has the right to judge someone for their past, but I don't know who you are now. The way you act, the things you say sometimes …" He shook his head. "It doesn't exactly win trust points."

She gave a self-deprecating smile. "I guess not."

They were both quiet for a moment.

"The truth is I don't know how to do this," she admitted. "Not being a Silencer. Not treating people as targets, threats or just a waste of time. Mallet-mouthed, your mother used to call me. Said I had the tact of a blunt instrument."

"Mum said that?"

"Oh, yes. She was forever scolding me. I was assigned to act as her lady-in-waiting, but she was the one who trained me in the ways of social niceties." A much softer smile touched Shizue's lips. "She used to get so frustrated."

Zuko stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. It was like all those walls were finally beginning to lower, letting him catch glimpses of the woman he had known as a child. That Shizue had been strict but fair. She had not left him feeling like he was walking on edges as she often did now.

"You have to understand," she continued. "I was raised to be a Silencer. My mission was my life. Sparing a thought for other people or their feelings seemed of little consequence."

"But you don't feel that way anymore?"

"I'm trying." She met his eyes. "Being open is not easy for me. Trusting others is not easy for me."

"I get that, but if you truly want me to trust you, you can't keep me in the dark. That's not how it works."

She nodded, though the gesture seemed reluctant.

"Can't you just tell me what you know?" he asked when she remained silent. "I'm going to find out the truth in some way or another eventually. If not by you, then maybe Yuzo or Mother will tell me."

"Yuzo," she repeated, pursing her lips. "You should not trust him so easily."

"Yeah, well, he said the same thing about you. No surprise."

Shizue glanced towards the horizon. "Then it's true. He has come in contact with Silencers before…"

"You're not going to hurt him because I said that, are you?"

"Not if he poses no threat. Right now I'm not so certain. I need to know why he was walking free."

"There you go with that 'walking free' crap again." Zuko made a frustrated sound. "What's so bad about fire healers anyway? Sure, the fact we can absorb chi is messed up, but it's not like I go around doing that all the time. I hate that part of me."

"I know."

"Then doesn't it follow others would be the same? I just don't understand why the world seems to think it's better if we don't exist. Being able to heal is a good thing. Surely having the ability to absorb chi is no reason to—"

"Everything has two sides," she murmured. "Light and dark, yin and yang, good and evil. Those who wield the undying fire are no different."

Zuko swallowed. "Wait, are you saying there's something else? Something worse than chi absorption?"

She said nothing.

"Shizue, you have to tell me. If you know what happened to cause fire healers to be—"

"Forget it."

"But—"

"Prince Zuko, I would not tell you about this even if you begged me with your dying breath."

His eyes widened at her bluntness.

"There are some things that should not be spoken of and are best forgotten. What happened with the Unnamed One must never be repeated."

"The Unnamed One?"

Her jaw tightened. "I've already said too much."

Zuko stepped closer. "Hold on. You can't just say stuff like that and not explain. Who's this Unnamed One? What did—"

"Enough." She turned to leave. "This is one oath I will not break."

"I thought you said you weren't a Silencer anymore. Or was that bit about trying to be more open with us a lie?"

She paused and stood with her back to him.

"Well?" he demanded.

"Zuko, Shizue!" Sokka called. "We're ready to go!"

Shizue glanced over her shoulder to meet Zuko's gaze. "You want the truth? The Fire Nation was almost torn apart by fire healers. You may be innocent, but what the Unnamed One did—when it became clear what wielders of the undying fire could actually do—such power could not be left unchecked. That is why fire healers were hunted and killed and pushed into hiding. People were terrified. They were terrified for good reason."

His heart thumped against his ribs. "You speak as if you think the genocide of fire healers was justified."

"What I think is that power does strange things to people. So does fear. You would do well to remember that."

She headed for the ship without another word. Zuko lingered on the shore for a moment before following.

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, catching sight of his expression.

"Nothing."

"You've got that glooming look about you."

"I am not glooming."

Sokka snorted. "Please. You, sir, are a veritable mountain of gloom. You are a gloomy gloomy gloom prince, but don't worry. I, as your good friend, shall offer a listening ear to your woes."

"Yeah, I think I'll pass."

"You sure? I have absolutely zero degrees in psychology and do not have a distinguished beard, but I'm said to be a good listener."

Zuko's mouth twitched despite his best efforts not to smile. "Just shut up and move, Sokka," he muttered, giving the boy a light shove. "Everyone is waiting for us."

Sokka grinned and walked with him up the ramp to the ship, still light-heartedly ribbing him about his "morning grumps". Zuko would never admit it aloud, but he was grateful for his friend in that moment. He had really needed the distraction.

oOo

"Ah, the sea breeze feels good," Tomoki sighed, leaning against the railing on the deck. "I've missed this. Feels like I've been cooped up on land forever. I was born for the open seas!"

"You tell 'em, sonny," Cheng said, not taking his eyes off the Pai Sho game he was playing with Iroh. "Aha, don't think I don't see what you're up to, you old sneak, trying to get my tulip tile …"

Zuko smiled a little, but was distracted by a groan from his left. Toph was practically clinging to the railing and looked as green as her tunic.

"Well, the only thing I miss is land," she muttered. "Can we go back now? I hate this."

"Feeling seasick?" Zuko asked sympathetically.

"Please. I don't get sick. I'm Toph Bei—uurp."

The next moment she was sticking her head between the gap in the railings and vomiting over the side. Tomoki laughed and laughed and laughed. The two Water Tribe warriors who had been walking past noticed her predicament and joined in the laughter.

"What was that, earthbender?" Tomoki taunted with a huge grin. "You don't get what?"

She managed to dredge up enough energy to punch him in the leg but otherwise just groaned and looked miserable. Tomoki and the warriors, of course, found this hilarious and continued to tease her.

"I might be able to help," Zuko said, taking pity on her. "Come on."

He guided her away from the railing and sat her down with him on the deck close to where Appa was napping. She still looked very green. He told her to try not to be sick on him and placed his hands on her head. A second was all it took to connect with her energy—earthy and raw. She let out a small breath and closed her eyes.

"Oh, that's good," she murmured. "If' I'd known you could do this, I would have come to you sooner."

Zuko bit back a smile. Poor girl really must have been feeling awful. She was never so open with compliments, not unless there was a lot of sarcasm involved.

"What'cha doing?" Aang asked, coming over to them with Momo on his shoulder.

"Shh," Toph said, still with her eyes closed. Not that it made any difference for her. "Sunshine is working his magic. No distractions."

"Actually, I think I'm done." Zuko removed his hands from her head. "How's that?"

Toph stood up and tilted her head from side to side. "Better." She punched him hard in the arm.

"You know, you could just say thank you instead of punching me."

"Yeah, but there's no fun in that." A wicked grin curved her lips. "Though I really should thank you for making me feel better. Now I can have my revenge."

Aang blinked. "Revenge?"

Her grin only widened before she trundled off to where Tomoki was now talking with the two Water Tribe warriors who had been mocking her before. Oh.

"Think we should warn them?" Aang asked. "The ship is metal. She might actually hurt someone."

Zuko got to his feet. "Let her have her fun."

She'd been so quiet and subdued of late that it was actually a relief to see her flashing her demon child grin and wanting to punish people.

Aang shrugged. "If you say so."

They both watched as Toph used part of the railing to trap Tomoki and the two warriors together by roping it around their legs. Then she launched them into the air. Their yelps of fright earned quite a few smiles and chuckles. Toph dusted off her hands and left the men hooked to a part of the wall, still crammed together and dangling awkwardly by their ankles like strung up fish.

"Hey!" they cried. "Let us go!"

"No can do." She smiled sweetly. "You know, because I don't have the sea legs for it and my stomach is as weak as my little girl arms." She flexed her skinny arms for emphasis.

"Oh, come on!" Tomoki groaned.

The other two warriors grumbled and protested as well, but Toph just grinned and settled down on the deck beside them.

"Wow," she said with exaggerated delight, "the sea breeze sure feels good. How's it up there?"

Her tormentors, and now victims, seemed to break in that moment as they realised they had picked on the wrong girl. Tomoki even got desperate enough to call out for Iroh and Zuko to save him.

"Ah," Iroh said, shifting one of his tiles to a new square on the Pai Sho board, "but one will never reach the higher ground by pushing others down."

"Technically he did reach the higher ground," Cheng commented. "He's not even touching the ground."

Iroh chuckled. "Indeed. Nevertheless, I am sorry to say, young Tomoki, I cannot assist you or your two friends at this time. Perhaps you should use your newfound, uh, elevation to think about why you got there in the first place."

This did not work for Tomoki. He instantly turned to the prince. "Prince Zuko! You'll help us, right?"

Zuko folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.

"Avatar Aang?"

Aang scratched his chin. "Well …"

"Don't you dare, Twinkletoes! These ones are mine until I say so."

Aang shrugged and offered a sheepish smile. "Sorry, guys. You heard her."

All three protested loudly. This went on for a while until the two warriors caught sight of their chief coming from the starboard side, along with Katara and Bato. They called out to Hakoda to get them down.

"What in the world?" Hakoda frowned at the sight of three grown men strung up together like fish. "What's going on?"

The situation was soon explained.

Hakoda nodded in a rather solemn manner. "Well, men," he said just as gravely, "I'm afraid there's only one thing you can do. You'll just have to hang in there."

There was a small beat of silence, broken only by Hakoda falling into a fit of laughter. He was shaking and everything.

"Get it," he said, nudging his daughter and Bato in the ribs. "I said hang in there because they're hanging there." He laughed again.

"Sure, Dad," Katara said dryly. "You're killing it."

"Puns," was all Bato muttered, pressing his palm to his forehead. "Always puns."

Hakoda laughed again and wiped a tear from his eye. "Still got it."

Zuko raised his eyebrow as he watched the leader of the Southern Water Tribe head inside the cabin area while still chuckling at his own joke. "Now I know where Sokka gets it from…"

Aang perked up. "Did you say something?"

He shook his head.

As the minutes went by and the sea and sky remained the same endless blue all around them, conversation turned to ways to pass time on a boat. Zuko admitted that he had mostly trained during his banishment, which seemed to amuse Katara. It did give them the idea to get in a little firebending training for Aang, though. The two boys went through a few basic steps—nothing too heavy since Aang was still recovering.

"Good," Zuko praised, relaxing from his bending stance. "You're looking better."

"Really?"

"Well, you look less like a floundering octopus-slug."

"Oh. Great … I guess?"

"Zuko's just teasing," Katara said, coming to stand by the boys. "Aren't you, Zuko?"

"No. His form is still really sloppy and he never puts in enough juice to—"

"Okay." She pushed on Zuko's back with both hands, guiding him away from the slumped-shouldered airbender. "Firebending training is over. Why don't we let Aang rest a bit now?"

He twisted around to look at her. "What? It's the truth."

She sighed and kept pushing on his back to make him walk. "Honestly. What am I going to do with you?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. He was about to respond when he noticed Shizue had come up on deck. Their eyes met. Suddenly, the conversation from early that morning rushed into his mind, including the unsettling words she had said to him.

_"Power does strange things to people. So does fear."_

_"What happened with the Unnamed One must never be repeated."_

He tensed all over.

"Hey." Katara's hands rubbed his back a little, soothing him into releasing some of the tension in his shoulders. She had followed the direction of his gaze and also looked at Shizue. "What is it? Is something going on between you two?"

"I'll tell you later," he murmured.

She frowned at him for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Her hands left his back, but she stayed beside him. Shizue did not approach at all.

oOo

"So, you've finally come," Yuzo said by way of greeting. "Let me guess, you're hoping I'm bored enough by now to feel like talking. Well, I am—bored that is."

Zuko shut the door to the hold and stood in front of him. "What do you know about the Unnamed One?"

Something flickered in Yuzo's eyes.

"You do realise your silence just gave you away," Zuko pointed out. "There's no need to act dumb. I know you know something."

"I never said I didn't. I'm just surprised you've heard of the Unnamed One. Don't tell me your Silencer told you."

"She mentioned it."

"But she didn't tell you everything, did she? Why else would you be here?"

Zuko said nothing.

A soft laugh. "Well, I did warn you. Silencers only care about keeping secrets. You're wasting your time trying to get anything worthwhile from her." His smile was all edges. "Know why? She doesn't trust you. She never will. You're a fire healer."

Zuko lowered his gaze, unable to refute the point when he had sensed the same thing.

"It's almost pathetic in a way," Yuzo continued, though his tone hinted of bitterness. "They're all so scared of us. Silencers will do anything to keep us contained, even if it means killing innocent people. Are you really sure you want that travelling with you?"

"I told you she's helping me save my mother. Besides, she's never hurt me. She hasn't hurt any of us."

"Right, right. And how safe do you think you'll be if you show even a hint that your abilities can go further?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I can sense it. Your inner fire is strong." He tilted his head, gazing at Zuko with sudden intensity. "How many people have you bonded with?"

"How did you know I've—"

"Ah, so you have formed energy bonds."

Zuko gritted his teeth. This guy really was annoying.

"Oh, don't give me that face," Yuzo said with an impatient wave of his hand. "It's your own fault you got caught out. You're too desperate. All that desire for information is like a stench clinging all over you. You're just lucky I'm not a Silencer."

"Look, I don't care about that! Just tell me what you know about the Unnamed One. Shizue mentioned some kind of power. She said it was bad—that people like us almost tore the Fire Nation apart."

"That is one way to look at it. Another is that people were just jealous and felt threatened by an ability they didn't have." A faint but twisted smile. "Didn't you ever learn? History is written by the victors. Just look at your glorious nation. How many of them still believe Fire Lord Sozin was justified in ordering the death of the airbenders? How many of them would turn on you in an instant just for helping the Avatar?"

Zuko's brow creased. "Then you think it was all propaganda. Fire healers and this Unnamed One did nothing wrong."

"Does it matter? The fact remains that fire healers were almost driven to extinction for being born with an ability that others didn't like." His voice hardened. "We get marked and hunted by Silencers just for having the wrong eye colour."

"I'm not trying to justify what happened. I just want to understand. What is this power we're supposed to have? Why are people so afraid of us?"

Yuzo stood up and closed the distance between them. He was a little taller than the prince, and from this close Zuko could see a slash of lighter skin puckering his throat where the high collar of his tunic didn't cover.

"You want your answers?" Yuzo leaned forward so they were practically nose to nose. "Get me out of here." He stepped back to put more space between them. "This is as far as I go. I won't be your prisoner or anyone else's."

"I can't just—"

"Can't just what? Release me? Let me off this ship?" His eyes narrowed. "Need I remind you that you and your friends kidnapped me!"

"Hey, you stole those documents and—"

"So you _kidnap_ me?"

Zuko made a frustrated sound. "I'm just saying we weren't sure if we could trust you. If you had talked earlier, we wouldn't have had to drag you along with us. You could have made this a lot easier for yourself."

"Oh, sure, blame it on the fact I didn't tell you my life story. Maybe it hasn't penetrated that thick skull of yours, but you have a Silencer with you. I wasn't going to say anything with her around."

"That's just—"

"No, you listen! Get it through your head that your selfish need for answers has put my life in danger! At this rate, I'll never find him!"

"Him?"

Yuzo clamped his mouth shut.

"You were looking for someone," Zuko pieced together. "That's why you stole those documents about the refugees."

"Good work, genius. Like that wasn't obvious."

Zuko ignored the insult. "Look, if you tell us what's going on, maybe we can help you."

A humourless laugh. "The one who needs help here is you. You're actually stupid enough to travel with a Silencer."

"We can handle Shizue. Even if she does try something, there's a whole ship of people here who'd stop her from doing any real harm. Besides, I'm not sure she does want to hurt us."

"She's a Silencer. She'll do whatever she thinks is necessary. That's just how they are."

Doubt prickled and spread little tendrils of unease. It was difficult to dismiss Yuzo's words. Even Shizue had admitted she didn't know how to not be a Silencer. There was no trust, no indication of any moral grounding in her. She still treated people as if they were a target or a threat, and maybe that was just the way it would always be. Maybe she'd never change.

Yuzo held his gaze. "You want my advice? Get rid of her now. She's going to turn on you anyway. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but she will."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting I kill her?"

"It's either her or you. The sooner you get that in your head, the better."

"I can't do that! She hasn't even done anything to me—to any of us! All she's done is help!"

"She hasn't done anything to you yet. She's a Silencer, remember? They're practically bred to be killers."

Zuko's expression hardened. "I don't care what you say. I'm not going to hurt someone just for something they might do. That kind of thinking is what started this war. It's what got fire healers killed in the first place."

Yuzo's lip curled. "An idealist, huh? You'll change your way of thinking soon enough."

"I doubt it."

"You won't have a choice in the matter. Doing the honourable thing is nice in theory, but it doesn't do much to keep you or the people you care about alive." Yuzo turned away from him. "Now, I think sharing time is over. You want to know more? Get me off this ship. I'm not saying another word until then."

He sat back down and proceeded to pretend that Zuko didn't exist. It seemed that sharing time was indeed over.

oOo

Katara got Zuko alone later that evening. "Alright, what's going on?" she said, shutting the door to his cabin and turning to face him. "You've been weird ever since that Yuzo guy showed up."

"It's …"

"Yes?"

He swallowed. The words were heavy on his tongue like too many stones piled up, but he couldn't get them out.

"Hey." She stepped closer and clasped his hands. "Talk to me. You said you'd tell me what's troubling you, remember? Well, I'm here. I'm listening."

Zuko held her gaze for a moment before nodding. He allowed her to steer him to the bed. They sat shoulder to shoulder on the mattress, bodies inclined towards each other as he began to speak in a hushed voice about Yuzo, Shizue and the scraps of information he'd learnt. It was difficult at first, but soon the words were spilling out of him. He hadn't realised until then how much he'd needed to confide in someone. All the circling doubts and concerns had been driving him crazy.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" she asked once he was finished. "This is kind of a big deal."

"I don't know. I guess I thought it might make things worse." He let out a breath. "And I guess … I was worried how people would react to me."

"To you? Why?"

He pulled his knees up to his chest. "I'm a fire healer."

"So?"

"So the world feared fire healers' abilities so much they tried to wipe us out." His fingers dug into his knees. "Whatever that power is, it's within me as well. I know that's why Shizue won't tell me what it is. She doesn't trust me not to use it. Probably thinks I'll become another Unnamed One."

"Well, I can't speak for Shizue, but the rest of us aren't going to judge you just because of a power you might have. We know you. We know you're not a bad person."

"My own mother was worried about what I might become," he admitted softly. "I was just a child then, but I still remember the things she said when she thought I wasn't listening. She was scared."

Katara took his face in her hands and looked him steadily in the eyes. "I'm not scared. I know you. I trust you."

His breath caught in his throat.

Suddenly, the door was thrust open. "We've got a—" Mai stopped short. "Okay, I was not expecting that."

Katara's face went bright red and she hurriedly released him. "We were just talking."

"Yeah, whatever." Mai motioned for them to get off the bed. "You both better come. Fire healer boy has lost it."

Zuko frowned and stood up. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Sokka and that new girl went to give him dinner, but then he flipped out all of a sudden and tried to escape. They both got hurt trying to stop him, and since you're our resident healers ..."

Zuko and Katara exchanged a worried glance before hurrying to their feet and following Mai down to the hold. There they found Yuzo pinned by knives and struggling to escape while Suki stood over him, fans in hand and blood dribbling down her chin from a split lip. Sokka was slumped on the ground not far from them, groaning and clutching his leg. Both of them had a few speckles of burns on their skin.

"Sokka!" Katara rushed to her brother and began treating him.

Zuko rounded on Yuzo. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you attack them?"

"I can hear him." Yuzo thrashed against the knives, cutting into his own skin. "You have to let me go! You have to let me off this ship now! Atsuo needs me!"

Suki wiped some of the blood from her chin with the back of her hand. "He's been like this for a while now. Keeps insisting he can hear someone named Atsuo and that he has to go find him."

"Like I said," Mai said flatly. "Lost it."

"I'm not crazy! You idiots just don't understand anything! How can you when you're all—" Yuzo gasped and lurched as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He visibly gritted his teeth, and only then did Zuko notice how pale and drawn he had become. There was no sign of a serious injury.

"It's a bond," Zuko realised, putting the pieces together. "You have a bond with Atsuo."

"Yes, damn it! Now let me—"

It was like watching a candle get snuffed. Yuzo froze and all the colour drained from his face. He trembled and just stared in shock at nothing. Slowly, so very slowly, moisture began to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Is he crying?" Sokka stage-whispered.

Yuzo didn't even seem to hear the comment. He still had that awful, vacant look in his eyes and somehow looked years younger, like a shaken child.

Zuko knelt in front of him. "What happened? Yuzo, what's wrong?"

"Atsuo … he was right there. I could hear him, could feel his energy, and then nothing. The bond just vanished." His voice cracked. "Atsuo is dead."

There was a shocked silence.

"I'm sorry," Suki said, lowering her fans.

"Sorry?" Yuzo glared at her. "You're part of the reason I couldn't go to him! You all got in my way and trapped me on this spirit forsaken ship, and for what? To get information from me? To decide whether I deserve punishment or my freedom back because I stole documents that are worth nothing to you?" Angry tears rolled down his cheeks. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Zuko lowered his gaze. The lizard-snakes were back in his stomach and twisting everything into knots.

"Blaming them will not bring Atsuo back."

Everyone gave a small start at the new voice and turned to see Shizue standing in the doorway. Yuzo snarled insults and threats at the sight of her. Her calm expression didn't waver.

"I see now you're not a free walker," she observed, moving closer to him. "But I don't believe you were released either. No, you somehow managed to escape the tribe. You and Atsuo, right?"

His eyes narrowed.

"But then you had to split up. Why? You obviously cared for him. There was no reason for you two to separate."

"I'm not telling you anything," he spat.

Shizue leaned forward to meet his gaze. "Then shall I guess? The Silencers found out you had escaped and followed you to the Earth Kingdom. You were attacked"—she nodded at the ugly scar on his neck—"and almost lost your life from the look of that. Perhaps this Atsuo panicked and fled when you got hurt."

Yuzo's mouth twisted. "He didn't leave me behind. Atsuo wasn't like that. I was the one who forced him to run. I faced the Silencers alone."

"I see. You were unable to catch up with him as you had planned, so there was nothing left for him but to assume you had been captured or were dead. Atsuo kept running and you lost track of him."

Yuzo looked the other way, his jaw tight as fresh tears slipped down his cheeks. "Is there a point to these questions?"

"Yes." She suddenly grabbed his face in a ruthless grip, forcing him to look at her again. "Who was hunting you and why did they not finish you off?"

Katara stepped forward in alarm. "Shizue, I don't think this is the best time to—"

"This is the only time!" Shizue looked down at him with hard eyes. "Now answer me, boy. Who was it? Why did they let you live?"

Yuzo glared at her.

"Answer me!"

Zuko tensed and glanced between the two, wondering if he should intervene.

"The Silencers didn't let me live," Yuzo finally gritted out through clenched teeth. "Shen was one of them. He slit my throat and left me to die. He wanted me to suffer."

Shizue went a bit pale. "Shen was hunting you?"

"He's my half-brother." Yuzo spat the word as if it were poison on his tongue. "Too bad for him I'm a strong self-healer."

She closed her eyes as if the weight of the world had just been placed on her shoulders, but she pulled herself together a second later and turned to Zuko. "Do what you want with this boy."

"What?" Yuzo let out an ugly laugh. "Not going to kill me?"

"There's no need." She stared down at him without emotion. "But if I were you, I would not leave this ship. You will be far safer here."

"I'm sure you'd like that. Then you can keep me under your eye, right?"

Shizue turned her back on him. "Think what you want."

She left without another word. Zuko exhaled and glanced at Yuzo. The boy seemed to deflate now that Shizue was gone and just hung his head, clearly lost in his own grief. Wordlessly, Mai crossed over to him and began to remove the knives keeping him pinned.

"Let's give him some space," Suki murmured.

Katara and Sokka nodded and walked with her out of the hold. Mai soon joined them. Zuko was about to follow, but then he paused.

"If you do want to leave, there's an escape boat you can use," he said quietly. "No one will stop you."

Yuzo made a soft sound that might have been a humourless laugh. "Oh, sure. Offer me that now when it's too late to even do anything. Atsuo is gone."

Zuko repressed a wince. Saying sorry felt like an empty response, but he didn't know what else to say either.

The seconds dragged.

"Just go," Yuzo muttered, burying his face against his knees. "Leave me alone."

Zuko didn't linger.


	6. A Deal

The ship was quiet. Most of the passengers were still asleep except for the few who had taken the early morning shift. Katara would have normally been asleep as well, but her dreams had been troubled of late and she often found herself waking and spending hours tossing and turning. This morning was no different. She didn't bother trying to go back to sleep and instead made her way to the deck. Some fresh air would do her good. She tended to feel calmer when she could see the ocean.

Light glowed in the distance in a rising splash of colour. It was a beautiful sunrise. She moved towards the railing and noticed a figure standing near the bow. His dark skin would have made her think he was one of the warriors from her tribe, but the clothes were Earth Kingdom. She frowned and slowly approached.

"I didn't think you'd stay," she murmured. "Not after …"

Yuzo's fingers curled tighter around the railing. He glanced down at her with those pale gold eyes that were so like Zuko's, except while the colour was more striking when set against his darker skin, she could not see any of the prince's warmth. There was no gentleness in Yuzo's eyes, no welcome—just a bite of steel and bitter flame.

"It just didn't seem like you wanted to be here," she finished a bit lamely.

He stared at her a moment longer before facing the ocean. They stood in silence until the need to break it was a prickle on her tongue. Maybe that was why she forgot all tact and just blurted out the words she'd wanted to ask.

"Will you help him?"

His eyes flickered to hers.

"Zuko, I mean." She frowned at her hands. Too late to turn back now. "I know you're probably angry with him—with all of us, and I don't blame you—but you're the first fire healer he's met. He's been struggling for so long because there was no one to help him understand his abilities."

"That Silencer will kill us both if she finds out I told him anything forbidden," Yuzo muttered.

"She won't."

"Oh, and you can guarantee that, can you?"

Katara raised her chin. "I can."

"And how is that?"

"Because she won't get the chance." Her eyes hardened to the thickest of ice. "If she tries, I'll kill her."

Yuzo let go of the railing. "You're serious."

"Yes."

His eyebrows rose. "I have to say, you've got bigger balls than your boyfriend."

"Zuko isn't my boyfriend." She fought the warmth spreading on her cheeks. "He's just …"

Now it was only one eyebrow inching higher.

She folded her arms across her chest. "The point is that he can't keep going blind like this. He needs proper training. He needs to understand what he's capable of and what to avoid. There've already been too many close calls."

"You're worried."

"Of course I'm worried! He's impulsive and his healing abilities have almost killed him more than once. Not to mention we have no idea how many Silencers there are or if they're a threat to him now, because Shizue won't tell us anything!"

Yuzo went quiet.

"Please." She stepped closer. "You're both fire healers. You know better than anyone what he's dealing with." Her voice thickened with emotion. "I don't want to lose him just because Shizue wants to protect her secrets."

A soft exhale. "He should have sent you to me."

"What?"

"You're much more persuasive."

Katara held his gaze. "Then you'll help him?"

He glanced out at the ocean. "Atsuo wouldn't like it if he knew I turned my back on a fire healer. He was always the better half of us …" Yuzo's jaw tightened and he visibly swallowed. "It should be him here."

She hesitantly touched his arm. "I'm sorry about Atsuo. I really am."

Yuzo fell silent again before exhaling and straightening his shoulders. "I'll help Zuko, but you have to swear you'll keep the Silencer from interfering. No backing down, no hesitating. You'll do whatever it takes. I don't plan on dying here."

"Don't worry. Shizue will take her last breath before she can harm either of you. We're surrounded by water. It won't be a problem."

The faintest of smiles curved his lips. "I believe you."

"Then you better believe I'll do the same to you if you cross us. One wrong move, one hint that you can't be trusted, and you won't have to worry about Silencers anymore."

"I understand." Yuzo held out his hand. "You have yourself a deal, uh …"

"Katara."

"Katara." He took her hand in a firm grasp. "I'll tell your friend everything I know, and in return you deal with the Silencer."

She returned the pressure of his grip. "Deal."

oOo

Zuko was doing meditation exercises when she entered his cabin. He stood from the half circle of candles and moved closer to her so she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. Concern wrinkled his brow.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. "It's barely past dawn."

"You're awake."

"I'm a firebender. It's kind of hard to stay asleep when the sun decides to give you an energy boost."

She made a noncommittal sound and glanced at the candles. The little flames were steady and hummed with warmth.

"Katara."

His touch was light on her shoulder. It was also her undoing. She had not known why her feet had taken her straight to Zuko's cabin, but looking at him now made her realise she didn't want to keep her deal with Yuzo from him. He had trusted her last night when he had opened up to her about Shizue, Yuzo and his own fears. She didn't want to betray that trust.

"I did something you might not like," she confessed.

"What do you mean?"

She bit her lip and shuffled past him to sit on his bed, not bothering to smooth the rumpled blanket. Zuko joined her after a moment. His expression was more curious than wary and she found herself avoiding his gaze.

"I talked to Yuzo."

"He stayed?"

She nodded and went on to explain how she had asked for his help. Zuko listened without interrupting. When she got to the deal and her part of the bargain, she snuck a glance at his face to see his reaction. His frown was so heavy that it seemed like a weight dragging his head down. Katara swallowed against the sudden dryness in her mouth. She had hoped he would understand.

"I didn't mean to go behind your back," she said. "It was a spur of the moment thing, but I don't regret making the deal. He'll talk to you now."

Zuko's fringe fell forward to veil his expression. "You can't think I wanted this from you."

"Maybe not, but I won't take it back. I meant every word."

"Even if it means killing Shizue?"

"I won't have to if she proves herself trustworthy."

He looked up at her with pained eyes. "Katara, I could never ask you to—I don't want you to make promises to kill people just so I can get information. Not for me. Not like this. You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm not forcing anything. I'd just never be able to live with myself if something happened to you." She leaned forward and gripped his hands. "Zuko, I don't care who it is or what I have to do. I'll stop anyone who tries to hurt you."

His mouth twitched. "You make it sound like I can't look after myself."

"Well, you do have a tendency to get into life-threatening situations, and it's not like I haven't had to come to your rescue before." Her tone grew more serious. "But I … I also know it would be hard for you. To fight Shizue, I mean. You've known her since you were a child; I don't have any connection like that to her. If it comes to it, I won't hesitate."

He frowned at their interlocked hands. "You don't have to fight my battles. I should be the one to stop Shizue if anything happens."

"Maybe." She bent down a little to catch his gaze. "But even so I'll be there to watch your back. That's what friends are for."

"Pretty sure most friends don't promise to kill their friend's childhood nanny on the off chance she gets homicidal."

"Pretty sure most friends don't have potentially homicidal nannies."

"Fair point."

They shared a smile, even though they both knew the humour was just a distraction and neither of them was that amused.

"There's still a chance we won't have to do anything," she said softly. "At least this way we'll know for sure if we can trust Shizue. Plus, Yuzo did promise to tell you what he knows."

"I guess…"

She squeezed his hand, understanding his unspoken words. "I wish it didn't have to be this way either, but what choice do we have? We don't know enough—not about fire healers, not about the Silencers, not about anything. It's too dangerous to keep going on like this. I don't want you to get hurt." Her voice steeled with resolve. "I won't let it happen."

He raised her hand so he was holding it between them, his eyes warm even when torn by conflict and sadness. "Thank you, Katara."

oOo

"Secret tunnel, secret tunnel … uh, does anyone remember how the rest of the words go?"

Something clanged against Ty Lee's cell. "Stop singing that damn song!"

"But I'm boooooored."

"Then be bored in silence!"

There was a long pause until one of the other prisoners started up a new verse of 'Secret Tunnel'. Groans were heard all down the corridor. Ty Lee grinned as she listened to the prisoners and guards grumble or sing the catchy song that was steadily getting stuck in all of their heads. Most of the circus members hadn't been very impressed with the nomads either when they'd run into the group, but Ty Lee had had a great time.

Her smile faltered. Even her chest felt all heavy and odd. Thinking of the old days was just a reminder of how things had changed. For all that she tried to maintain her smile, she didn't like being alone in the cell. She missed her friends. She missed the circus and the sky and those yummy red bean buns. Being trapped underground in all this stone was crushing her like a feather trodden underfoot. Even all the colours that made up her aura were getting tainted with dinginess.

She sighed and stared at the door blocking her freedom. A scream came from the farther section of cells, followed by the unmistakable sound of fire blasts. Her stomach twisted a little. There was no singing now. Everyone was quiet.

"That princess has completely lost it," one of the guards muttered. "She's always talking to herself and making a racket. Crazy, I tell you."

"I heard there's pressure being put on the king to have her executed."

"Good riddance if you ask me, though Li is part of the royal guard and he said they're probably going to use her to negotiate with the Fire Lord."

Ty Lee curled her fingers around the bars. "Is this true? Are they going to send Azula back to her dad?"

A fist slammed against her door. "Shut up! And don't you dare start singing again!"

She pouted and settled back on the floor. It took a while for the screaming to stop.

oOo

The wind had picked up on deck. Zuko stood facing Yuzo near the ladder leading up to the crow's nest. It was Katara's idea to have their meeting in the open. She had more water at her disposal that way, not to mention it would be easier to take down Shizue—at least if it came to that—if there was more room to move around. A chi blocker was at their most dangerous in close quarters. Besides, there was no point trying to hide the information sharing. Better to force Shizue's hand now and make her show her true colours. At least they'd be prepared for her.

Right?

"You don't look too happy," Yuzo observed. "I thought you wanted this information."

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not exactly thrilled about the deal to kill the woman who helped raise me. It feels … underhanded."

"Not gonna pig-chicken out, are you?"

"Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I won't do what's necessary. If she does turn on us, I'll take her out myself."

"Good. I'd hate to think I was wasting my time on some soft-hearted idiot who was just going to get himself killed."

Zuko bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't lose his temper. "Let's just get this over with."

He had been a mess of guilt last night, but those feelings were fast fading. Yuzo had a knack for rubbing him the wrong way. It was difficult to believe this hawkish, hard-eyed boy had ever openly grieved for the death of Atsuo.

"Ha!" Sokka's cry of elation caught their attention from where he could be seen playing an element tile game with Aang, Suki, Tomoki and a Water Tribe warrior. "Read 'em and weep, folks!"

There was a chorus of groans.

"Looks like they're having fun," Yuzo commented. "I take it you didn't tell them about this."

"They'd only worry or try to interfere."

"Fair enough."

Katara positioned herself against the ladder. "Mai and Toph should have tipped Shizue off by now about what's happening. If she's going to do anything to stop you from talking, Yuzo, she'll do it soon."

Yuzo's lip curled in a way that suggested he had no doubt they'd be seeing Shizue. "Then let's see whether the Silencer has really given up her old ways." His gaze flickered to Zuko. "What do you want to know? Might as well get this ball rolling while we wait."

"The Unnamed One. I want to know about the Unnamed One."

"Of course you do."

Zuko stared at him expectantly.

Yuzo shifted a little and moistened his lips—nervous cracks in his composed, tough guy act. "The Unnamed One was a Fire Nation princess from long ago. Her name, at least before it got blotted out from history, was Shūrin."

"Shūrin?" Zuko and Katara exclaimed.

Yuzo blinked. "You've heard the name."

"Shizue mentioned it once," Zuko explained. "The Dai Li had tampered with her memories at the time and she wasn't really herself, otherwise I doubt she would have said anything."

"There was also the scroll," Katara reminded him.

"Right. We found a scroll on fire healers in Wan Shi Tong's library. The scholar who wrote it mentioned a princess whose name began with Shu. He said that everything started with her."

Yuzo's brow creased. "A scholar pieced together that much? That's impressive. Most of them get taken out by Silencers before they can get that far."

"I think it did cost him his life," Zuko admitted. "By the end of the account, it sounded like he was waiting for the Silencers to kill him."

"Then you understand how dangerous this information is. Whatever target is already on your head will get that much bigger once the Silencers realise you know about Shūrin. It's forbidden to even speak her name."

"Why?" Katara asked. "What did she do?"

"Shūrin was a powerful healer. Maybe the most powerful. It's rumoured she formed hundreds of energy bonds with people during her lifetime."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Hundreds?"

"That's just the rumours. There's no saying for sure now whether it's true, but you've felt it, right? The power that's right there at your fingertips when you bond with someone. Imagine that multiplied by hundreds. Imagine if you opened all the doors and controlled the flow of energy so it all came to you."

Horror twisted Zuko's stomach. "You mean she drained them all?"

"Yes and no. She learnt how to turn the bonds into an energy source for herself, like what the sun does for firebenders. Her power was amplified on a concentrated level, giving her bending strength far beyond what a single person could achieve. Those who fought against her said it was like fighting an army."

"I guess people would fear that," Katara murmured. "Especially if she was draining chi to get all that power."

Zuko frowned at the metal deck. "Is that really it? Just a power boost? Don't get me wrong, I get that it's bad what she did, but all anyone had to do was not make bonds with fire healers and then there'd be no new source of power, no special strength." He shook his head. "It just doesn't make sense. Was this technique really enough to turn the world against fire healers?"

Yuzo leaned forward. "The point is that Shūrin was practically unstoppable at her peak, and that wasn't a good thing when it became clear what else she had learnt to do."

Zuko's heart quickened and he found himself also leaning forward. "What? What was it?"

"She—"

"You!"

Both boys stiffened at Shizue's shout. The Silencer marched towards them with murder in her eyes, shoving a warrior out of her way. Suddenly, a giant wave loomed over the side of the ship and weaved around Shizue in a funnelling cage, solidifying into blades of ice with the speed of lightning. The ice glittered like crystals in the sun. Shizue paused and remained very still. Even just breathing made the sharpened tips cut into her skin.

"Not another step," Katara gritted out, hands outstretched as she maintained the blades.

Aang was on his feet in an instant and rushing over. "Katara, what are you—"

"Stay out of this, Aang!" Katara snapped.

"But—"

"Listen to her, Avatar," Yuzo said. "This Silencer just showed her true colours. She was going to attack us. This is what needs to be done."

Shizue's eyes narrowed but instead of defending herself, she looked to Zuko. "Is this what you think as well?"

His heart felt like it was lost somewhere in his stomach. "I don't know. You have to admit that charging out here just because we were talking doesn't look good."

"I'm trying to protect you."

"Oh, please." Yuzo rolled his eyes. "You're only protecting yourself and you know it."

Shizue kept her gaze locked on Zuko. Sokka and the others had come over by this point and now stood in a half-circle around her, watching with tense postures and anxious eyes. Katara had also not relaxed an inch, nor had her bending wavered. Her expression was as cold as the ice digging into every part of Shizue's body.

"I made a promise to your mother that I would watch over you," Shizue said, calm despite the threat of being impaled. "I promised you that you would come to no harm. Is my word not enough for you? Have I ever done anything to hurt you or your friends?"

Doubt clawed at Zuko's chest.

"Don't listen to her," Yuzo warned. "She's only saying that so we'll release her. Silencers can't be trusted."

"Your hate is blinding you, boy." Shizue's gaze shifted to him. "If you know so much, then you know why Silencers were created in the first place."

Creases formed on the prince's brow. "What's she talking about?"

"He didn't tell you, did he?" she responded. "It was fire healers who created Silencers."

"What?"

"We were created to protect, to contain. We seek out fire healers so they can be kept safely hidden from the rest of the world. We let those who still remember the past think fire healers are gone, and we let those who never knew of your kind continue in their ignorance. In short, we make it so you don't exist."

A breath escaped him. "Then when you said all that stuff about your mission, you didn't mean—"

"I've killed fire healers. Don't misunderstand. To keep a secret of such magnitude, a Silencer cannot show pity or mercy. Anyone who left the tribe without permission or who threatened exposure was dealt with accordingly." Something flickered in her eyes. "But for your mother's sake, I made an exception for you. I have made many exceptions for you, Prince Zuko. That was my mistake. It is too late to repair the damage you have caused. The tribe will not forgive you now."

_"Now she is lost, and you—you just had to go and form an energy bond with the Avatar and heal all those people."_

"That's what you meant," he realised. "When you said you still had enough love for my mother not to take me to the other fire healers. You knew they would kill me."

"And every person connected to you, including those who know of your abilities or even just witnessed you heal."

The lizard-snakes were back in his stomach. All those people, he had made them all targets.

"Do you understand now?" she said. "Silencers have killed people for less than what you have done. This secret has been maintained for centuries, yet you have singlehandedly put everything at risk." She glanced at Yuzo. "And you are only making it worse! Can't you see that Zuko has the potential? It's too dangerous!"

Zuko glanced between them, his heart now creeping up in his throat. "The potential for what?"

Yuzo moistened his lips. "The Silencer thinks you can tap into the same gifts as Shūrin. She thinks you could become another Unnamed One."

"What?" His heart thumped against his ribs as he looked at the woman who had watched over him for most of his childhood. It was one thing to wonder about her motives for not telling him the truth, but quite another to have his fear confirmed. "Then you really do think I'd—you helped raise me! You _know_ me, Shizue!"

"What I know is that people change and you have done things no untrained fire healer should be able to do. You're a natural, Prince Zuko. That is not a good thing."

He swallowed. It was the first time someone had told him he was a natural at anything to do with bending, but there was no pride in his heart. No relief. Everything about this situation made his chest feel crushed and his stomach a mess of knots and twists.

"You're wrong," Katara said firmly. "Zuko isn't like Shūrin. That woman abused her bonds to give herself more power. I know he'd never do that. He'll never be like her."

"I hope you're right," was all Shizue said.

Zuko tried not to show his hurt. "Do you really believe in me so little?"

"No more or less than you have continued to doubt me."

There was a weighted pause as they stared at each other. He lowered his gaze.

Katara sighed and turned the ice back into sea water, which she swiftly dumped over the side of the ship.

"What are you doing?" Yuzo demanded.

"She's not going to hurt either of you." Katara frowned at the older woman. "Isn't that right?"

Shizue nodded.

Yuzo made a frustrated sound and turned the other way.

"I understand you're wary of me," Shizue said to him. "You resisted the tribe's rules, and for that you and those dear to you have suffered at the hands of Silencers. But I have no desire to harm you, Yuzo. I was hard on you before because I thought you were a threat. I thought you were the same as your brother."

_"Half."_ Yuzo gritted his teeth. "Shen is only half my brother, and I'm _nothing_ like him."

"No," she allowed. "I don't believe you would work with Silencers to hunt down fire healers."

Sokka's brow wrinkled. "Wait, Shen is the guy who did that"—he gestured at the partly concealed scar on Yuzo's throat—"to you, right?"

"Yes. He said a quick death was too good for a traitor like me."

The Water Tribe boy pulled a face. "Is it just a Fire Nation thing to have messed up sibling relationships or something? Your half-brother tries to kill you, Zuko's sister tries to kill him, Iroh's brother puts a bounty on his head and probably would kill him if he got the chance …"

"I get along great with my older sisters," Tomoki offered.

Yuzo stared at them both like they were idiots. Zuko just facepalmed.

"I think we're straying from the point," Suki said, stepping forward. "I know I haven't been with you all long, but it sounds like everyone needs to start being more open with each other. The first rule of being a Kyoshi Warrior is no secrets, no lies. When you're a team, you need to work together."

"Bit hard to do that when you don't know who to trust," Zuko muttered.

"That's my point! All this distrust and jumping to conclusions almost got someone hurt today. It's the reason Yuzo couldn't get to Atsuo in time." Suki threw the fire healer an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry. I know it doesn't help to hear this, but if you had told me at the beginning what was happening instead of acting suspicious and trying to run away, I would have got you into Ba Sing Se myself. I'm sure everyone here feels the same."

There were a few nods and murmurs of agreement.

Yuzo's hands balled into fists. "How was I supposed to know I could trust you? What was I even supposed to say? You would have asked too many questions—questions I couldn't answer without looking crazy or putting myself and Atsuo at further risk!"

"Maybe," she admitted. "I'm not saying it would have been easy, but sometimes you have to take a chance. If you don't, you'll always have to bear everything on your own."

"Suki's right," Aang said, moving to face everyone. "It's like the monks always say, 'Individually, we are one drop. Together, we're an ocean.' We need to trust each other. We definitely need to stop threatening and attacking each other." He frowned at Katara, no doubt remembering the way she had viciously held Shizue at ice point. "If we don't, we'll become our own worst enemies."

Katara raised her chin. "Trust works both ways, Aang. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I won't stand by when my friend is put in danger just because information is being held from him." She met Shizue's gaze. "You say you're trying to protect Zuko, but all you're really doing is keeping him ignorant. He needs to know what he's up against, what he's supposed to be avoiding."

"Katara." Zuko placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay."

"It's not okay!" She rounded on Yuzo. "Shen hunted you and Atsuo because you're fire healers and broke the tribe's rules, right?"

Yuzo nodded.

"That's what I mean!" She turned back to the others. "Yuzo was almost killed by his own half-brother! It's likely Atsuo was killed by him!"

Yuzo stiffened but did not deny her claim.

Katara sought Shizue's gaze. "You said yourself that Zuko has broken enough rules that the tribe won't forgive him. If the Silencers are as good at their job as you suggest, it's only a matter of time before they find us as well, right? Isn't that what you feared? Isn't that why you were so suspicious of Yuzo in the first place?"

"Yes," Shizue confessed. "I was worried it was all an act and the Silencers had found us."

Katara shook her head. "Can't you see, then? You can't keep Zuko ignorant. He's in too deep now. We all are. If you truly want to protect him, if you want us to trust you, then you'll tell us what you know and let Yuzo do the same. You have to trust us as well!"

There was a tense silence as the two stared at each other while everyone else just watched with bated breath.

"Maybe you're right," Shizue said softly. "I keep thinking I can somehow contain the damage if I keep what you all know to a minimum, but maybe that's just a fool's hope. A part of me even hoped we could save Ursa first so that she could explain everything. She's much better at this sort of thing."

Zuko let out a breath. "I don't care how you say it, Shizue. I just want to know the truth. The full truth. You and Mother kept everything from me for all these years, but I'm not a child anymore and you can't undo what I've already learnt. The others are right: we need to work together. We need to trust each other. That's the only way we're going to get through this."

She held his gaze for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Perhaps this is for the best."

"You'll really tell him everything?" Yuzo questioned. "Even if it breaks your oaths?"

"I already broke my oaths as a Silencer a long time ago, and I don't see how I have much choice now." Shizue looked at Zuko grimly. "Just don't make me regret this. I meant what I said to you. There are some things best left forgotten."

"I understand."

She nodded and suggested they find somewhere more comfortable to continue the conversation. Zuko exhaled and followed behind her with Yuzo and the others. Finally, he was going to get some real answers.

oOo

Azula stared at the blackened walls of her cell. Her mother was watching her from the corner with that fake-sad expression, but Azula purposely ignored the woman. She'd already wasted enough energy arguing and throwing fireballs at the spectre. Her mother never left. Worse, their conversations always came back to the same endless words and pleas.

_"You could have been more than this. You still can."_

Azula gritted her teeth. "Expectations, expectations, expectations. I can't please either of you, can I?" Her head whipped around to glare at the spectre. "Don't answer that!"

Suddenly, there was a loud thunk from outside the door. She tensed and listened. There were always shouts and aggressive noises coming from the guards monitoring other cells in the prison, but she had learnt to discern the sharp crack of a fist or a boot clanging against metal. This had sounded more like something falling. Something heavy.

There was a series of clicks and then the door to her cell opened. Two Dai Li wearing conical hats entered. As the one at the lead raised his head, she saw he had pale gold eyes. Eyes just like her brother's. The other was a rather tall and broad-shouldered woman.

Azula stood up. "Who are you? You're not Dai Li."

The woman glanced down at her companion. "Well, Shen?"

He considered Azula from head to foot. "This is the one I sensed ... but she's not _the_ one."

The woman sighed. "You're right. Her eyes aren't even the right colour. This was a waste of time."

"Don't be so hasty, Hina. She may not be the one, but I think she'll come in use. Her energy has been connected."

Azula raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

Shen smiled. He was an unremarkable man with bland, easily forgettable features, but something about his smile put her on edge. "Why don't you come with us?"

"Do you take me for an idiot?" Her fingers curled into her palms. "Tell me who you are first. I am Princess Azula of the Fire Nation and I will not be—"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Shen's smile didn't waver. "That wasn't actually a question. You _will_ be coming with us."

Azula snarled and unleashed a blast of blue flames powerful enough to melt flesh right off bone. There was a flash of gold-orange, a wall that crushed her flames into nothing. A split-second later Hina was on her and striking in precise jabs. Azula's eyes widened in horror as every part of her body shut down, leaving her limp and useless as a ragdoll.

"You should have just cooperated," Hina scolded, forcing a gag on her mouth. "Now I have to carry you."

Azula's nostrils flared as she was picked up and slung over Hina's shoulder like a sack of rice. No one had ever disrespected her in such a way.

"Let's go," Shen said.

Hina nodded.

Azula bounced against Hina's back as she was carried out of the cell. Rage blazed through every inch of her, hotter than a wild fire, but there was another emotion as well—one she had only ever felt in flickers.

Fear.

She was afraid of this plain-faced man who had blocked her attack so effortlessly and who looked at her like she was nothing more than an interesting tool. That made her even angrier. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Not for her. Father would be so disappointed if he saw her now. He'd think her weak. Pathetic.

"Azula!" Ty Lee's face appeared in the small, barred grate of the closest cell. "Where are you taking her? What are you going to do?"

Shen paused and turned to look at the acrobat. "You are this one's friend?"

"Yes!"

His bland smile came back into play. "Interesting. But you have no need to worry, little rainbow. We won't hurt the princess. We just need her assistance with something."

Ty Lee gripped the bars tighter. "Let me come as well. Please!"

"Shen," Hina said warningly. "We don't have time for this."

He held his hand up in a hushing gesture. "The friends don't want to be parted, Hina. How can you be so cruel as to rush this touching moment?"

Azula's nostrils flared again. She tried to tell them to release her at once and that she had no intention of going anywhere with them or that traitor, Ty Lee, but it just came out muffled and indistinguishable through the gag.

"Please," Ty Lee repeated, keeping her gaze on Shen. "She's my friend. Let me come with you. I won't do anything to get in your way. I just want to stay with her."

Shen considered her for a moment. "Why not? The princess might cooperate better with a friend and you intrigue me, little rainbow. It's not often I sense an energy like yours." He used the keys to open the door, only to move with a sudden swiftness to grab her by the throat and cradle flames close to her cheek. "But if you cross me, I'll kill you without hesitation. Are we understood?"

She exhaled shakily. "Understood."

He smiled and released her, patting her in an almost fatherly way on the head. "Then come along. Hina is getting restless. She'll start scolding us again if we dally."

"Because we need to get out of here before new guards come along," Hina retorted, "especially since you want to take along all this extra baggage."

"Humour me, Hina. When have I ever led you wrong?"

The tall woman huffed but marched ahead all the same, her arm an iron band around Azula's legs. Whatever these people were planning, Azula swore to herself then and there that she would find a way to get the upper hand. She was no one's tool. She would not be cowered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I didn't intend for Katara to tell Zuko about the deal, but my girl was like, "Screw you. Imma tell him right now because I refuse to go behind his back like that." She's right, of course, but I do lament the loss of tension.
> 
> Also, I swear I'm not being a troll by not putting all the information about Shūrin and fire healers in this chapter. You'll get your answers in the next one (promise). I also want to say now for those who get wary of OCs (because I admit I am the same when a sudden influx appears in fanfics) that they will not suddenly take over this story. It's just necessary to have them since I'm not following canon Book 3 at all.
> 
> Finally, "Individually, we are one drop. Together, we're an ocean" is a real quote by Ryunosuke Satoro, the Japanese poet. I am not a monk and, alas, am not so great at coming up with monk wisdom. Please forgive me for my quote thieving.


	7. Everything Is Connected

Zuko settled on a bench in the mess hall with Katara and Sokka at his side. The others all took their seats at the table or around the neighbouring ones. Mai and Toph had also joined them, along with Iroh and Hakoda. Shizue pursed her lips at the number of people, but Zuko pointed out they were all on this ship together and knew of his abilities as a healer. It was only fair they knew what else they were dealing with.

"Very well," she reluctantly agreed. "Then I trust none of you will repeat the information I am about to tell you. If heard by the wrong ears, you will be killed."

"Yeesh." Sokka pulled a face. "There's a cheerful beginning."

She gave him an unimpressed look. He held his hands up in an appeasing gesture and allowed her to go on to explain how all the secrecy and the rules that fire healers lived by now were a necessity thanks to what happened with the Unnamed One.

"Shūrin," Zuko said.

"Yes." Her eyes flickered to him. "Shūrin. Long ago, she was known as a powerful and well-respected healer."

"Respected," Yuzo muttered. "She was a slave."

Katara's brow furrowed. "I thought she was a princess."

"She became one eventually, but she was born a peasant," Yuzo explained. "Rumours of her gift spread to the Fire Lord and he had her enslaved her when she was seven years old."

"Seven?" Katara looked sickened.

"That's right. She was just a child." Yuzo curled his fingers into his palms. "She was a child and they ripped her from her family and forced her into slavery all because she could heal."

Shizue eyed him closely. "You know a lot about her."

"I made it a point to learn all I could about the Unnamed One." His voice was low and bitter. "I wanted to know why Silencers killed my mother and forced me to join the tribe."

There was a sharp, painful silence. Katara reached across the table as if to take his hand, but he recoiled from her touch. Others, including Zuko, simply stared at the boy in sympathy. Many of them knew what it was like to lose a mother or loved one, though Zuko guessed he was lucky since his mum was still alive.

"Your mother's death should not have happened," Shizue said with a faint trace of awkwardness. Dealing with emotions wasn't her forte. "She must have resisted the Silencers. Whenever possible, the family is allowed to come with the child."

"Right," he said with a humourless laugh. "I guess it's her fault for resisting."

There was another pained silence.

Yuzo let out a breath and focussed on Katara. "Anyway, Shūrin didn't become a princess until she was fifteen. It's said the Crown Prince fell in love with her and took her as his wife, but it's far more likely she just forced him to marry her."

"Forced?" Iroh questioned. "How could a slave force a prince to marry her?"

"Through bending," Shizue said coolly. "She controlled him and many others by learning how to bend their energy, their very souls, to her will."

"What?"

Zuko wasn't even sure who joined him in the exclamation, but the cry was loud and seemed to rattle the mess hall.

"I always thought it kind of fitting," Yuzo murmured. "They made her a slave, so she enslaved them. You can't deny there's a bit of poetic justice in that."

"It was an evil power that should have never been used," Shizue responded. "She controlled people like puppets and forced them to do terrible things at her whim. She was a monster."

Mai frowned. "Isn't that just like what the Dai Li did to the Joo Dees?"

"It's not the same." Shizue rubbed her arm as if trying chase off an itch. "The Dai Li brainwashed people, yes, but I had no sense of self when I was forced to follow their bidding. My mind went blank and I just forgot everything." Her tone hardened. "But a fire healer doesn't do that. The victim knows exactly what is happening. They're aware, they remember, they feel; their souls are just chained to the bender's will and all they can do is obey the commands they are given."

Knots tightened and twisted in Zuko's stomach, unsettling what was left of his breakfast. This was the power that had caused fire healers to be hunted and killed. The whole thing left a bad taste in his mouth.

"If Shūrin had not been so powerful, so determined, perhaps things would be different," Shizue continued. "But she used her bending to take control of the Fire Nation. She wanted to punish the Fire Lord and his subjects."

"Because they enslaved her?" Aang questioned.

Yuzo shook his head. "Not exactly. The medical knowledge we have now wasn't around back then. The Fire Nation hadn't been fully united under the Fire Lord either, so there was a lot of fighting going on. Fire healers were highly sought. They were also rare. Many of those born to lower class families were stolen and sold to the nobility as slaves. Most were also driven to their deaths before the age of twelve."

"So, she wanted to get revenge for the wrongs done to her kind," Hakoda concluded.

Shizue looked at them all grimly. "When people realised what was going on and rose up to stop Shūrin, she fought them like a demon from the old stories. Thousands were killed trying to bring her and her followers down."

"But they did succeed in the end," Sokka said. "Right?"

Yuzo leaned forward on his elbows. "It's said she eventually drained the people she was bonded to dry while trying to maintain the strength to fight her enemies. Her power weakened and her body deteriorated at a rapid rate, a result of being put under too much strain for so long. Rather than let herself be captured and face defeat, she committed suicide." His voice softened. "She was only seventeen."

"So young," Iroh said in surprise.

"Young or not, she was merciless," Shizue said. "Her defeat came at a high cost for the Fire Nation."

Zuko let out a breath. "But then no one really did defeat her, did they? In the end, she defeated herself by overextending her abilities."

"True," Shizue admitted, "but that's also what people didn't like. A mere girl had caused so much death and destruction and no one had been able to stop her. She'd just weakened on her own. People didn't like that at all. They feared other fire healers would rise up—ones who wouldn't fall into the same trap."

"So all the fire healers were rounded up and killed," Iroh said in a heavy tone. "Better to be safe than sorry."

Shizue nodded.

Zuko frowned at his hands. He had to admit that he had not expected this. Shūrin had done horrible things from the sounds of it, but a part of him could almost sympathise with why she had chosen to fight back. She had been taken from her family as a child and enslaved, and there were many others like her. What would he have done in her position? Would he have accepted his lot in life? Or would he, like her, have found a way to fight back? To fight back for all fire healers?

Yuzo met his gaze from across the table. The words from their past conversation returned to his mind.

_"Didn't you ever learn? History is written by the victors."_

Zuko lowered his eyes. The others continued to talk about Shūrin and her brief reign. Aang asked why the Avatar at the time had not done anything to assist the Fire Nation. Shizue shrugged and said no one knew now. Perhaps the Avatar had only been an infant at the time. Perhaps it was just decided it was best not to interfere in a civil war. Either way, the world turned a blind eye to the resulting purge that happened. It was only a small group of fire healers who managed to escape. They found refuge on an island in the far southwest and began to build themselves up again in secret.

"As you can guess," she said, "maintaining secrecy is the tribe's most important rule. It's how we've survived for all these centuries. The Fire Lords even helped in a way; they were ashamed of what happened and wanted to forget. The problem is that sometimes those outside the tribe are born with the ability to wield the undying fire. That's where Silencers come in. I already told you we find those people and bring them back to the tribe."

"Right," Sokka cut in. "About that. How do you do it? I mean, do you just wander around until you find someone with pale gold eyes?"

"Not exactly."

"It's energy," Yuzo said quietly. "Everything is connected in some form. Energy is all around us. It lives within us and it binds us together."

Aang perked up a little. "Huu said something similar to me at the banyan grove in the swamp."

"That place is a powerful centre of spiritual energy," Shizue said with a nod. "The island where the tribe lives is much the same. Those with strong spiritual affinity can tap into the energy to get impressions, visions. It can give hints as to where fire healers are in the world."

"Wait, you mean someone could use that spirit mumbo jumbo to locate Zuko and Yuzo right now?" Sokka demanded.

"The visions aren't infallible. They just give an idea more than anything exact, and the healer has to have released a large amount of energy at least once to even register as an individual."

"Like a healing," Zuko observed with a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. He'd performed many drastic healings since that first time with Aang.

"Yes," she said, giving him a grim look. "You are at risk; however, the real threats are the ones who can sense energy signatures even when away from the island." Her gaze shifted to Yuzo in a questioning manner.

"I didn't inherit that gift from my father," he said flatly. "Only Shen did."

"Guy who likes to slit throats can sense other fire healers?" Sokka sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "Great. Just great."

Yuzo traced his finger along the cracks in the wooden table. "I don't think Shen would be able to find us here. Distance makes it difficult, and sensing energy is not an exact art. He told me once that fire healers just seemed to burn brighter, but bonds and powerful firebenders can make it confusing."

"Well, it can't be that good of an ability if he didn't realise you were still alive," Toph said bluntly. "He should have been able to sense you, especially since you said you healed yourself."

"I'm not sure why he didn't," Yuzo admitted. "I know how to mask my energy from his sight, but I can't do that when I heal. My guess is he just didn't think I'd make it either way."

Zuko looked at him curiously. "You can mask your energy?"

"I'll teach you," Yuzo said, answering the unasked question. "If you really are a natural, you should pick it up easily enough. It's just too bad we don't have someone who can sense energy to test yourself on."

"How did you learn?" Suki asked.

Yuzo's knuckles flared a lighter shade as he clenched his hands. "Shen …"

"What? But he's the one who—"

"He was different back then," Yuzo said in a low voice, glaring at his fists. "He changed after he became a Silencer. Went … strange."

"I remember him when he was a child," Shizue said in a thoughtful tone. "He was very talented. I was surprised when I met him again and found out he had become a Silencer. Everyone had assumed he would join the sages."

"Well, he chose to follow in our father's footsteps instead."

No one knew what to say to that. It wasn't like they knew Yuzo well or his half-brother and father.

Shizue chose to break the silence by saying she had told them as much as she could about the Unnamed One and the tribe. Now, she hoped they would understand why it was better to keep a low profile and not experiment too much with fire healing. "No good can come of it," she said. "The Unnamed One became what she was because she didn't believe in limitations, but all power comes at a price. It's not always the wielder who pays it either."

Zuko frowned as the others slowly began to disperse. He thought about the girl who had corrupted her own body and pushed her abilities beyond the limit to fight for fire healers. A villain. A saviour. She could be either depending on how one wanted to interpret her actions. If she had won, would history have viewed her more kindly? Would the fire healers have still turned their backs on her and erased her name?

"What are you thinking?" Katara asked. She had not moved from her spot next to him on the bench.

He shrugged, not sure how to put his thoughts into words.

She rubbed his arm before letting her hand move down to rest on his. He flipped his hand palm-up without thinking so they were holding hands instead.

"At least you know the truth now," she said softly.

He met her eyes. "Only thanks to you. You managed to get them both talking."

"I did say I'd have your back."

"So you did."

There was a loud sound of a throat being cleared.

Katara quickly pulled her hand away and the teens both turned to find her brother staring at them with his eyebrows raised.

"Sokka, you ruined it," Toph complained from where she sat farther down the table. "They were just getting to the good bit."

Zuko blinked. "What? What do you mean the good bit?"

Sokka gave his sister a pitying look. "You know, I was going to tease you, but you've got your work cut out for you, sis." He patted her on the shoulder. "Good luck with this one."

"Sokka!" she cried, going bright red.

Zuko glanced between the siblings and then back to Toph, who just looked immensely amused. "What?" he repeated.

Yuzo's mouth twitched and he stood up and clapped Zuko on the back. "C'mon, let's go train. The sooner you master this, the better."

"Uh, right."

He followed Yuzo out of the mess hall, pleased to focus on something that didn't make him feel like an idiot missing out on some inner joke. Stupid Toph and Sokka.

oOo

_Azula spotted him on the rooftop, a tiny figure glinting like a splash of red and black. "What are you doing up there, Dum-Dum?" she demanded, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun with her hand. "Do you want to get yourself hurt?"_

_Suddenly, one of the tiles shifted under his feet and he was plummeting backwards. Her heart lurched even as a cry escaped his lips and he grasped wildly at the air, trying to find purchase on something—anything to stop his fall—but it was too late. Down and down he went._

_"Zuko!" she screamed._

_There was a sickening crunch of a body hitting the ground. She screamed his name again and ran to where he had fallen, wet prickles in her eyes and her breath coming out in choked little gasps. He looked so broken, so wrong. Her big brother wasn't supposed to look like this._

_"Brother, brother!"_

_She fell on her knees, hands hovering over him in paralysed fear and uncertainty. What was she supposed to do? His leg was sticking out all funny and she was pretty sure arms weren't supposed to look like that, and, and—_

_His eyes suddenly opened and glowed pale gold. Her breath caught in her throat. She watched in amazement as his split lip began to close and the cuts and grazes followed suit. Heart thumping against her ribs, she touched the arm that wasn't all bent in a weird angle. The gentlest of warmth swept through her, like getting a hug from the sun._

_"Brother?" She looked back at the soft light in his eyes. "Are you the one doing this?"_

_"Hurry! Prince Zuko is hurt!"_

_She quickly forced his eyelids closed to hide the glowing, then moved out of the way. Zuko was swept up by the guards and taken off to be treated. Azula watched the group pass out of view, her heart still thumping against her ribs._

_What had her brother just done?_

oOo

Azula woke with a start. She was face-down on something that creaked and tried to rattle the teeth out of their sockets with every bump. Some kind of wagon? It was too hard to think. There was an awful, bitter taste in her mouth and her head was pounding like drums were trapped inside her skull. Her arms had also been pulled behind her back and something cold and hard enclosed her hands. Her ankles had not fared any better. Shen and Hina must have cuffed her while she was out.

She groaned and rolled onto her back, the metal cuffs digging into her spine. A fabric covering greeted her view—definitely a wagon. Somewhere outside, an owl-cat hooted. How much time had passed since Hina had forced that foul drink down her mouth?

"You're awake." Shen's face suddenly came into view. "How are you feeling?"

Azula narrowed her eyes. "You drugged me."

"It was easier that way." He lifted her into a sitting position and sat down opposite her. "Now, Princess, I think it's about time we have a little chat."

Her eyes darted to the left and right until she spotted Ty Lee slumped on her stomach not far from them. Ty Lee also had cuffs on her hands and ankles.

"Don't worry," Shen said, following the direction of her gaze. "Little Rainbow is just sleeping. She was a bit more sensitive to the drug."

"I wasn't worried."

Ty Lee was a traitor and a fool. There was no reason for Azula to worry about her. Still, Shen only smiled that bland, unnerving smile and rested his chin on his tented fingers.

"I'd like to get straight to the point," he said in a genial tone. "Someone healed you with firebending. I'd like to know who."

The dream flickered in her mind, reminding her of the warmth she had felt when she had touched her brother's arm. She'd been enfolded in the same warmth when Zuko had healed her arrow wounds in Ba Sing Se. Now she knew it was just what his energy felt like—soothing, comforting, able to chase away all chills and fears. The whole niceness of it put her on edge. It made her think of memories she would rather forget.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"That person has got themselves into some serious trouble. I just want to make sure no harm comes to them. Take them to a safe place."

Her eyebrow arched a fraction. "You must think I'm an idiot." She leaned forward, ignoring the sickening pounding in her head. "Let me tell you something, you bland-faced peasant. I have grown up in a palace where liars are more common than gold. I know you're not telling the truth."

A hint of amusement entered his eyes. "I see."

She stretched her legs out more, chains rattling as they scraped against wood. Wait them out, Father had always said. Wait them out and let them spill their truths to you. She didn't have to say anything. So long as she appeared relaxed, Shen would eventually tell her his plans.

"I wonder why that person left you all alone in prison."

Her breathing quickened a little. "What?"

"It just seems strange." He tapped his finger against his cheek. "If it were me, I'd be upset. That person clearly thinks you're worth nothing. Perhaps they even regret healing you."

Irritation licked at her skin. That he thought he could use her own tactics on her.

"Perhaps he does," she said with a smile to match his own. "I tried to kill him."

"Ah, it's a he."

She stared at him coolly. "The person who healed me is no friend of mine. Just tell me what you want."

"To find him. You could say he, uh, caught my attention."

A faint crease formed on her brow, but she smoothed it away a split-second later. "And how do you think I'm supposed to help you? Like you said, he left me in that prison. I have no idea where he is now."

"But you do." He pointed at her chest. "The bond you share with him will tell us everything."

Azula didn't want to show her ignorance by demanding what he was talking about, but her heart leapt a little all the same. This changed everything if what he said was true. Zuko had told her he was going to find their mother. If she could find him, she could find Mother.

"What do I have to do?" she asked.

Satisfaction glinted in Shen's eyes. "Just focus on him, focus on the energy link you have, and will yourself to know where he is."

She frowned and pictured her brother in her mind: taller than her, golden-eyed, scarred. A bitter swell of emotions stirred as she remembered how he had almost beaten her, how he had saved her. Her stupid, stupid brother.

"I can't feel any link," she muttered, glancing the other way. "Maybe you're wrong about this bond."

"That's not possible. You're just not trying."

"What?" she snarled.

Shen looked at her calmly. "You are not opening yourself to him. How can you expect to feel anything if you do not open yourself to the bond? You might as well try reach through rock without earthbending."

Her jaw tightened. "Fine."

She focussed harder, searching for the link she shared with her brother. It felt like scrabbling at pebbles for a trace of precious gems. Degrading. Pointless. All that was in her was the dark, twisted thing she kept trying to shove back in its cage. There was none of her brother's warmth.

"Remember, open yourself to him."

"I'm trying," she hissed.

Her whole body froze as if trapped in ice. She had never said those words in her life. Those words were for weaklings like Zuko who were always failing.

"Are you saying this is too difficult for you, Princess?"

She gritted her teeth. No. There just had to be something wrong. The bond wasn't really there, or Shen just hadn't given her proper instructions, or—

Shen sighed and shifted to his knees.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, inching back from his hand.

"Helping you."

Before she could react, he pressed his thumb to her forehead and placed his other hand over her heart. A rush of fire—intense yet steady like the sacred flames of pyres—swept through her and closed around the points where he touched. Every muscle tensed. She found she couldn't move, couldn't even blink.

"Your energy is ugly like a rotting peach," he murmured. "A hateful, obsessive soul. We can use that. Such emotions are powerful if channelled in the right way."

Her breathing sharpened as the flames seemed to intensify.

"Now focus on the one bonded to you," he ordered. "Remember, this person left you behind. They left you in prison, and you didn't like that, did you?"

Rage slithered through her veins, cold and vicious like a snake. That's right. Zuko had put the lives of peasants and soldiers before her. He had denied her the chance to find their mother. He had acted as if he had a right to punish her.

But she could find him now.

_"Open yourself to him."_

She once again pictured him in her mind. Oddly, he appeared as he had in the throne room when he'd healed her, when he'd told her that he'd done so because she was his sister. It was such a Zuko thing to do. Her stupid, stupid brother. Her stupid brother who made her feel too many things.

_"Open yourself to him."_

Her mouth twisted. The urge to resist was strong. It had always been better to shove him out, to crush him down, to pluck him from her side like the thorn in her flesh that he was. But she couldn't keep doing that. Not if she wanted to find Mother. Not if she wanted to make him pay for calling her his sister and then leaving her behind as if she was worth nothing to him.

_You won't escape me, Brother!_

The inner scream seemed to join with Shen's flames and slice through all the dark tangles that she only now realised had been chaining her down. Now the image she had crafted of Zuko stood with his hand outstretched, a single thread of pale gold dangling from his fingers.

"Take it," Shen encouraged.

Her heart pounded as she reached out with her mind, or maybe it was her spirit, and picked up the other end of the thread. Fire and warmth filled her—her brother's soothing signature. Suddenly, images were flashing before her: a ship, the ocean, a map and a finger pointing southwest. She saw it all through Zuko's eyes, but each image hit her like dizzying rocks. It was disorientating.

A gasp escaped her lips and the link was severed. She panted and looked up at Shen. He smiled and removed his hands.

"Well?" he said. "Where is he?"

Azula struggled for breath. "What was that?" she demanded. "How did I see those things?"

"Your spiritual affinity is pathetic, so it's no wonder you can't understand how an energy bond works. Lucky for you, I happen to be rather gifted in that department." Shen looked at her coolly. "Now what did you see?"

"He's sailing on a ship and heading southwest."

"That's it?"

She raised her chin, not liking his tone. "All I saw was a ship, the ocean and a map. What else am I supposed to get from that?"

He looked at her like she was a pet that had made a poor attempt at a trick. "Well, I guess it was your first try. I'm sure you'll do better next time." He walked to the front side of the wagon and knocked on the wood. "Hina, get us to the boat. We'll be going by ocean from here."

Azula blinked as Shen sat down and dismissed her entirely. Her whole body radiated with offence and rage—she was a princess and he had just inferred her skills weren't good enough—but she had also gathered enough about him to know there was no point saying anything. Shen and Hina did not care if she was Fire Nation royalty. They did not care if they offended her. In fact, it seemed all they cared about was finding Zuko.

Her eyes narrowed a fraction on the bland-faced man. No, this one could not be trusted, but she would play along all the same to find her brother and mother. She'd find a way to turn the tables on him yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. Finally got to where I am on FFN. Updates will be slower from now on. (I usually post a chapter once a week, but that can vary depending on my work schedule.) 
> 
> Also, so I know a lot of people are fans of the whole protective brother trope, but I honestly don't see Sokka behaving that way with Katara. He left her well alone with Haru, Jet and Aang in canon (which is a big deal since he didn't like Jet at all). I do think he'd tease her mercilessly (and Zuko if the boy wasn't so oblivious), but he wouldn't be a real jerk about it. He certainly wouldn't be all "back off from my sister" with Zuko. (The guy is his friend, after all, and Zuko is a pretty trustworthy, respectful guy.) So, yeah, Sokka picks up on the fact they're having a moment and thinks it will be funny to interrupt, but there's no sexist, over-protectiveness going on here.
> 
> In any case, we finally learn about the Unnamed One and why fire healers became so hated/feared. I'd like to say that just being able to control a person probably wouldn't have led to such an extreme outcome (though people would have hated on the ability big time, just as they do with the Dai Li brainwashing and bloodbenders); however, as Shizue says, control combined with the inhuman strength granted through energy bonds was considered too dangerous. Sucks for all the fire healers who got dragged into the mess.


	8. Willpower

"Masking energy is about control," Yuzo explained, walking with Zuko along the deck to find a space where they could train. "You can feel your inner fire now, right?"

Zuko nodded.

"Well, this technique is all about keeping that fire low. Energy sensors pick us healers out from a crowd because we look brighter to their mind's eye. Keep the flames low and—"

"We won't stand out."

"Exactly." Yuzo stopped and looked at him expectantly. "Let's see you try it then."

Zuko exhaled and closed his eyes. His inner fire was as strong as ever: warm, vibrant, and within it the golden sphere of flames hummed with power. But it wasn't a real fire. It probably couldn't be bent like one either. This sphere of heat and light was a heartbeat of energy, a source of life flowing through him. It gave breath to his fire, it was the source of his fire, but it was still pure chi at its core.

How was he supposed to suppress his own chi? He knew how to direct the flow and use it for healing, but _supress_ it?

"Have you got it?" Yuzo asked, though his tone was more impatient than encouraging. "I can't sense energy, remember, so you'll have to tell me what you feel."

Zuko shot him an irritated glance. "You haven't exactly been forthcoming with tips. It's not like this is a campfire I'm trying to control."

"You're the one who's supposed to be a natural."

A flat look.

Yuzo's mouth twitched. "Alright, alright." He moved closer. "Don't be intimidated by the fact you're working with energy instead of fire. The fundamentals are the same. You just have to assert your willpower over it and get your inner fire to do what you want."

"Simple as that, huh?"

"Surely you've heard the saying: willpower is the foundation of firebending. If you aren't willing to master the flames, they'll control you. It's no different for bending energy. How else do you think you've been able to heal people? It's because you willed it to be so. You willed your energy to join with theirs so they could be healed." Yuzo folded his arms across his chest. "I thought you knew all this stuff."

"Most of what I've done has been instinct," Zuko admitted.

Yuzo's eyebrows vanished into his hairline. "Maybe you are a natural. You're lucky you're not dead with all the healing you've been doing."

"So people keep saying …"

Yuzo considered him for a moment, then shrugged. "Whatever. Give it a shot, anyway. Focus on your inner fire and bring it down like you would flames you want to weaken."

Zuko nodded and once more closed his eyes. It was as simple as breathing to connect with his inner fire. It always had been. Even if he had discovered his bending far too late for his father's tastes and had struggled to master the basics, he had always felt a strong connection to his element and the chi within him. That was why healing and redirecting lightning had come naturally to him. Energy—the power he manipulated inside his body rather than outside—just made sense. It spoke to him in ways that offensive techniques and streams of fire had never done.

That instinct also kind of made sense now.

He had never wanted to hurt people. He had never wanted to burn or kill, not even when desperate to capture the Avatar and return home. But that was what traditional firebending had been all about: hurting, making war. It was no wonder he had struggled for so long. He had been going against his nature just trying to live up to what the Fire Nation and his father expected from him.

"Did you do it?" Yuzo asked.

"Give me a moment."

Zuko inhaled a deep breath before exhaling and willing the fire within him to shrink. It felt … weird. Really weird. If he was to think of it in a physical sense, it was a bit like trying to drain all the power from his muscles. His inner fire fuelled his bending, his strength, and he was intentionally smothering it. All that humming force of life, all that vibrancy and warmth, it all dwindled down, down, down …

Splotches and stars danced before his eyes. A high-pitched ringing reverberated in his ears and he swayed.

Yuzo gripped his shoulders. "I think we can safely say you're getting the hang of it."

"A warning about the side effects would have been nice," Zuko gritted out. His head was still spinning.

"At least I didn't let you fall on your face."

Zuko glowered up at the other boy. "Just tell me how to make it stop."

At this rate, he was going to end up vomiting all over the deck.

"There really isn't an easy way. Your equilibrium has been thrown off and all you can do is hope your body will adjust."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I mean, you could try easing up on your inner fire, but that puts you at risk again." Yuzo looked him up and down. "To be honest, if you're having such bad side effects, you probably do need to keep your inner fire as weak as possible. Shen said that the more powerful benders tend to feel it the most when they supress their chi; obviously, they're also the ones who burn the brightest."

"Yay for me."

Yuzo actually laughed, though his amusement faded a second later. There was an old ghost lurking in his eyes.

"What?" Zuko said while slumping ungracefully into a sitting position. His legs felt like wobbly jelly.

"It's just …"

"What?"

Yuzo looked the other way. "The last person I taught this technique to was Atsuo …"

Zuko let out a breath. Oh.

"He never really got the hang of it. I practiced with him all the time, but …" Yuzo's voice thickened. "He wasn't a natural like you. That idiot burned too bright, but he was terrible at controlling his inner fire. Wasn't even a good bender, really."

"Is that why you told him to run?"

Yuzo nodded. "I didn't want him to get hurt. I thought if I could just give him enough time to get away, then …"

A long hush of silence.

"It's not your fault, you know," Zuko said a bit awkwardly. "You did everything you could."

"But I didn't! I should have been there for him, should have found him faster!"

"Would it have really made a difference?"

Yuzo's jaw tightened.

"I don't mean to be blunt, but it sounds like you would have both died had you been with Atsuo. You barely survived your last encounter with your brother, right?"

" _Half_. Half-brother."

"Right. Sorry."

Yuzo kept his face averted. His hands were balled into tight fists.

Zuko regretted saying anything now. He wasn't good at this emotional stuff. It was just really obvious that Yuzo was hurting, and the healer in Zuko couldn't help wanting to make it a little better. Too bad all he'd ended up doing was putting his foot in his mouth.

The silence dragged on.

"I would have died for him," Yuzo eventually said, so soft it was more an exhalation of breath. "I would have died with him if it had come to that. Don't you get it? I _loved_ him."

Zuko's eyes widened a fraction.

"But he's dead now, and there's no doubt in my mind it was Shen who killed him." Yuzo turned his head to meet Zuko's gaze, his expression hard yet intense, like a blazing stone. "The Silencers have taken everything from me. They'll take everything from you as well if you let them. That's why you'd better do everything you can to make this technique work for you, no matter how unpleasant. It might be the only thing that saves the ones you care about."

Without another word, Yuzo stalked off across the deck, clearly deciding that training was over. Zuko swallowed and watched the boy pass from view. When he did finally try to stand, his body wouldn't cooperate and the motion just made his head spin again.

_"You'd better do everything you can to make this technique work for you."_

A sigh escaped Zuko's lips. This was not going to be fun.

oOo

"Why the glum face, Twinkletoes?"

Aang scrunched his nose and turned to look at the earthbender. "Glum face? You can't even see my face."

"Don't have to." She poked him with her foot. "Your whole body is screaming glum. You're like a big, drooping glumbender."

He sighed. "It's nothing."

"Wrong." She shoved him over so that she could make a spot for herself in the little nook where he was sitting.

"I didn't say you could sit down."

"I didn't ask for an invitation."

He heaved a big sigh. "Toph, I kind of just want to—"

"Be alone and glum some more?"

His lips pursed. "I was going to say have some space to myself."

"Well, that's a lie." She wriggled, elbow jabbing into him as she got comfortable. "We all know you hate being alone unless you're having a sulk."

Aang hugged his knees more to his chest so that he wasn't so squished against her. "You're kind of mean sometimes, you know that?"

"I try."

His frown got heavier.

Toph flicked him on the head, right on his arrow tattoo. "C'mon, talk to me. What's put you in a sulk?"

He rubbed the stinging spot with a scowl. "Have you ever thought I just don't want to talk about it?"

"I think you do, and look"—she raised her hands in mock cheer—"I'm all ears. Literally. My eyes don't work."

Aang heaved another big sigh. He turned his head to the wall and avoided looking at her.

"You can talk to me, Aang," Toph said more softly.

The use of his given name made him glance back at her in surprise. She never called him by his name.

"I think I have an idea what this is about anyway," she said with a tiny shrug.

Heat flooded his cheeks. "You do?"

"Katara, right?"

He shifted in agitation. Had he been that obvious?

"You left pretty quickly earlier. About the same time Sunshine and Sweetness started holding hands."

Aang's fingers dug into his knees. "Are they … are they dating?"

"Not that I know of."

He let out a breath.

"But that doesn't really matter, does it? You saw for yourself that something is going on between them."

"Maybe there isn't. If they're not actually together, then maybe … maybe it's nothing. Katara has always been pretty affectionate and—"

"Yeah, let's just stop there. It's painful listening to you trying to give yourself hope."

He hunched more into himself.

Toph patted him on the arm. "I know it sucks, but you'll get over it, Aang. Give it time."

"I can't just get over it."

"Sure you can. Just—"

"I _can't_! You wouldn't understand."

"I get it. You have a crush on Sweetness, but—"

"It's not a crush! I … I love her."

That was what hurt the most. Zuko had known that. They'd even talked about it at the Eastern Air Temple. Aang didn't understand why this was happening. He felt confused and betrayed and so alone. It was like Zuko and Katara had just been waiting for him to go into that dumb coma so they could go behind his back and get all mushy-eyed with each other. Just thinking about it made his heart ache. He couldn't forget the sight of them holding hands in the mess hall or the way they had looked at each other—the way she had looked at the prince.

It was like no one else existed. It was like she'd been in her own little world with Zuko, and there was no space for Aang between them.

"I just don't understand," Aang mumbled. "I thought Zuko was my friend. I thought Katara and I had something special, so why ..."

"Maybe you do have something special. Maybe it just isn't what you thought."

"What?"

Toph sighed. "I may be blind, but I'm pretty good at reading people. The way Sweetness gravitates and reacts to Sunshine … she's never done that with you. I know she loves you, Aang; I know she'd do anything for you, but I don't think it's the kind of love that would make her want to shove her tongue down your throat."

"Toph!" He tugged at his collar, suddenly hot around the ears.

"What? It's what you were hoping for, right?"

His blush darkened. "I never … I just hoped we could maybe …"

"Yeah, yeah. Spare me the awkward denials. I can tell when people lie, remember?"

Aang shifted and hunched his shoulders closer to his neck like a turtle. This was so embarrassing.

Toph stretched her legs out and wiggled her toes. "You wanna know the sucky truth?"

"What?" he grumbled.

"This just isn't about you, Aang. You can have all the feelings you want, but that doesn't mean things will go your way. Sunshine and Sweetness … they're probably going to get together." A snort. "Well, if that big idiot wakes up and sees what's right in front of him. No wonder he's never had a girlfriend before. He's useless."

Aang's mouth drooped even more. "Is this supposed to be comforting me?"

"No. It's the sucky truth, remember?"

He sighed.

"My point is you can't make this about you. Sunshine cares about you a lot and he _is_ your friend. He would never hurt you intentionally, and I think you know that. Honestly, I don't think that big idiot has even realised he has feelings for Katara."

Aang rested his chin on his knees. An unbiased part of him could acknowledge this was true. Zuko was the one who had come to wake him from that horrible place of misty nothingness (not to mention with Katara's help). The prince had practically ripped his mind and soul apart just to give Katara enough time to heal Aang. That was why this whole thing was so confusing and upsetting. They'd all been through so much together. Zuko and Aang had a bond that linked them spirit to spirit—more than friends, more than family.

But Katara was the girl Aang liked. And he really, really liked her. He wanted to get mad at both of them; he wanted to yell that he had seen her first, that she belonged to him, that she was meant to be with him. Except people didn't really belong to anyone. Deep down, he also knew that Toph was right. Katara had never looked at him the way she did Zuko, and he knew neither of them would actually want to hurt him or go behind his back.

This wasn't a betrayal. It just … was. But that didn't make it any easier.

"I hate this," Aang admitted. "I hate feeling this way. I just wish things could go back to how they were."

Toph squished closer to him, which was about as much of a hug as she was willing to give. "Like I said, it sucks."

"Yeah," he said feelingly. "It really does."

oOo

The hours dragged that day. By the time the moon was rising over the ship, Zuko still hadn't adjusted to keeping his chi suppressed. He often lost concentration, making his inner fire flare right back up, or he just felt so woozy that all he could do was sit with his head in his hands. It was awful. This whole technique was awful, but he was conscious of Yuzo's warning. He had to make this work.

Being a fire healer wasn't a game. People could get hurt. People already had been hurt.

Katara found him later pouring a cup of water for himself. The mess hall was mostly empty, as everyone had started preparing for bed or night duty. Zuko had been on his way to bed as well, but he stayed to chat with her now.

Suddenly, the cup slipped from his hand, hitting the floor with a thunk and spilling water everywhere. His eyes widened and flickered with a faintly luminescent glow. One of the doors of energy inside him was unsealed. His own golden thread seemed to get enveloped by a burning yet cold brand of fire—a tainted thing that latched and clung.

"Zuko, what's wrong?" Katara's hands were on his arms, reaching for his face. "Hey, talk to me."

As fast as it had come, the energy was gone. The door was also sealed as if it had never opened. He let out a breath and looked down to meet her gaze. "That was Azula."

"What? What are you talking about?"

He pulled back from her touch and glanced around the mess hall for Yuzo, his chest tight and his pulse hammering in his throat. Dimly, he was aware of Hakoda and Aang coming over and asking if everything was okay.

"Maybe you should sit down," Hakoda said, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "You're looking a bit pale there, son."

The prince was distracted into glancing up at the older man, confusion wrinkling his brow. Not even his own father had called him son.

Hakoda steered him quite forcefully into sitting at the nearby empty table. "Now, let's see you taking some deep, slow breaths."

Zuko was about to protest—he needed to find Yuzo now—but Hakoda's hand was a firm weight on his shoulder. The chief's expression also didn't allow any room for arguing.

"Breathe," Hakoda said, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze. "Go on."

Zuko did as told. It was only as he did that he realised he'd been breathing too shallowly. With each deep inhale and exhale, the tightness in his chest eased and his mind felt clearer.

"See," Hakoda said with a smile. "Isn't that better?"

Zuko lowered his gaze even as his cheeks warmed a little. He didn't know how to interact with this man, especially when they weren't discussing practical things like the eclipse plans or getting to the island.

Katara sat next to Zuko on the bench. "What happened back there? You said something about Azula."

"I … you know how I bonded with her when I healed her?

"Yeah."

"Well, I can always feel that link, but this time it was different. It was …"

She touched his knee when he remained silent. "What?"

His gaze flickered to Aang, who lingered a bit behind Hakoda and looked small and subdued. "It was like what happened with you, Aang."

Aang's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Twice you've manipulated our bond on your own, pushing beyond the seal that keeps our energy from linking any further. Whatever just happened, whatever Azula did, it was like that. It was like she'd somehow managed to take control of the bond and …"

He tensed, remembering how it had felt to have her chi envelop his own. Clawing. Desperate. It was like she had been scrabbling at him with her fingernails, a hungry mass that had wanted to burrow deep and become a part of him. It had been repulsive yet, oddly, also slivered him with pity. Her energy didn't feel right. There was so much raw power— _so much_ —but it was also like brushing against sickness, an ugly thing that had been eating away at itself for years.

"Zuko?" Katara rubbed his knee in slow, soothing circles. She must have noticed the stiffness that hunched his shoulders.

He exhaled. "I don't know what she was trying to do. I didn't even think she'd be able to do something like this."

"Why not?" Aang said. "I did. You said it yourself what she did felt the same."

"Yeah, but you're the Avatar; you've got all that crazy spiritual power. Besides, the only times you've manipulated the bond on your own was when I was half-dying or asleep."

Hakoda frowned. "In other words, your guard was lowered."

Zuko nodded.

There was a pause as they all digested this information.

"I need to talk to Yuzo," Zuko said, standing swiftly. Too swiftly. Stars burst before his gaze and he wobbled.

Katara steadied him from behind. "Maybe you should stay put for now." She tugged him to sit back down on the bench with her, hands lingering on his arms. "You still look pretty pale."

"But I—"

"I'll bring Yuzo here," Aang offered. "I'll go look for him now."

The boy dashed off before anyone could respond.

Katara smiled and said she'd get Zuko a fresh cup of water. Soon, it was only Hakoda and Zuko. The prince kept his gaze lowered and scratched at a non-existent itch on his hand. Prickles of awkwardness crept all over him. This was even worse than that time he'd run into King Kuei in the garden.

"Still feeling dizzy?" Hakoda asked.

Zuko's shoulders crept higher towards his ears. "I'm fine."

Hakoda raised his eyebrows. Maybe he had noticed the mulish defensiveness in Zuko's tone, but the prince couldn't help it. Azula breaking the seal, the dizziness, being fussed over and forced to sit down—all of it made him feel so weak. It opened old wounds of insecurity. Hakoda was probably judging him right now for getting so shaken.

"It must be tough."

Zuko's gaze flickered up in question.

"I'm not a bender, so I can't understand what it must be like to have abilities you don't fully understand or control. I just know I don't envy you. It sounds like these energy bonds are not a simple thing."

"They're not …"

Hakoda sat next to him. "Can I ask you something, Zuko?"

A nod.

"Do you have an energy bond with my children?"

Zuko let out a small breath. That was a question loaded with interpretations.

"I'm not saying I don't trust you," Hakoda was quick to assure him. "From what I've seen and heard, I don't believe you would hurt Sokka or Katara, but I just want to know. Are they bonded to you like Aang is?"

"No. I've never healed them, so …" He trailed off, remembering how Katara had asked him to let her help with bringing Aang back.

"What?" Hakoda prompted.

Zuko frowned and focussed on his inner fire, feeling for the different links he had made. There was Aang, always the strongest. Then there was Uncle, Changpu, Biyu, Azula and …

His heart sank. Katara. Her energy's signature was there. He hadn't noticed the connection because her bond with him was so much subtler than the others. It felt less like a door with a seal and more like a hand he could hold if he wanted. Perhaps it was because he hadn't given up any energy for her.

"I … I have a bond with Katara," he admitted.

Hakoda closed his eyes.

The girl in question arrived a second later with a fresh cup of water. She sat down in her previous spot and handed the cup to Zuko. "Feeling better now?" she asked.

He grunted in reply, conscious of the way Hakoda was watching them both. It made him have an odd urge to put more space between them on the bench, as if he was somehow sitting too close to her now even though it was no different from how they'd been sitting together before.

Fortunately, Yuzo soon turned up, though there was no sight of Aang. Once the situation was explained to the teen, he frowned and said he wasn't sure what Azula had been trying to do. He couldn't profess to be an expert on bonds.

"I've only ever bonded with Atsuo and my mother," Yuzo explained, "and they never did anything like that to me. But what I do know is bonds link our energy, our very spirits. They can be used in a lot of ways if you're determined enough."

"Determined, huh?" Zuko murmured.

Azula certainly had a lot of determination. It was a family trait.

"You should be careful," Yuzo warned. "If your sister is no friend of yours, I can't imagine she's up to anything good."

"Is it possible to sever a bond?" Katara asked.

"No. Once a bond has been made, a fire healer will stay connected to that person until one of them dies."

Hakoda frowned. "What about the other people connected to Zuko? Are they in any danger?"

Zuko tensed, knowing exactly why that question had been asked.

"I don't know," Yuzo admitted. "In the tribe, fire healers get trained to heal and learn control, but we're not allowed to form bonds with multiple people. That was the Unnamed One's thing. It's considered too dangerous."

"I see …" Hakoda glanced from Zuko to Katara. "Well, that's comforting."

Zuko stared at his palms, the same that had guided his energy into bonding with so many people. What had Azula been trying to do to him? He wished he knew.

"Just be careful," Yuzo said, shaking Zuko from his thoughts. "If she tries again, which I'm guessing she will, make sure you block her out."

"How is he supposed to do that?" Katara asked.

"Willpower." Yuzo held Zuko's gaze, his own eyes hard and challenging. "It all comes down to willpower."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack to this chapter. So much love stuff going on. (I'm just not a fan of love drama and cringe every time I have to write it. Even worse when more than one character likes the same person. *shudder*)
> 
> Anyway, love stuff aside, I had to giggle a little to myself while writing this because I realised the whole masking energy thing is a bit like ki suppressing from Dragon Ball Z. But it works, so meh. Of course, I don't like things to be too simple/easy, so Zuko has to learn to keep his inner fire low and adjust to the change in energy balance.


	9. Are You a Tool?

The boat rocked and swayed. Azula could hear water sloshing against the sides of the hull. Her hands and ankles were still cuffed, and the skin was already beginning to feel bruised and scraped raw. She gritted her teeth. Despite the fact she had been cooperative, Shen still did not trust her to have full use of her limbs. That would have to change.

"Are you awake?"

She stilled. Metal rattled and clinked, intermingled with soft groans. It was dark in the cargo hold, but she knew that Ty Lee had just shifted into a sitting position.

"Azula? Hey, are you—"

"Why did you come with me, Ty Lee?"

A pause.

"You betrayed me in Ba Sing Se," Azula said coolly. "Did you think I would forget that you chi blocked me? That you forced me to surrender to the Earth King?"

"I didn't betray you. I saved your life."

"Is that so?"

"They had you completely surrounded," Ty Lee reminded her. "You would have never got out. You would have died. You almost did die."

"We could have escaped had you not chi blocked me."

"So you could do what?" There was a hoarseness to Ty Lee's voice that had never been there before. "Go back to the army and start a new plan of attack? Pursue your brother and Uncle again? What were we even fighting for, Azula? What was the point of it all?"

"It is our duty to spread the Fire Nation's greatness to the world and stop all who would oppose the Fire Lord."

"Greatness? What greatness? Was it greatness when you burned Mai's face? Was it—"

"Don't speak that traitor's name!" Azula hissed.

"She was our friend. She was our friend and you tortured her!"

Azula's lips curled into an ugly smile, though it was hidden by the shadows. "I knew it. I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed your true feelings. You did well pretending to be loyal, but underneath all those smiles I bet you were just waiting for your chance to turn on me."

"That's not true! I _am_ your friend, but what you did to Mai was—"

"That traitor cost me everything. I would have had the Avatar had she not betrayed me. I would have never been defeated at the wall. I would have conquered Ba Sing Se."

"Is that really all you care about?"

Azula's fingers dug into the metal cuffs enclosing her hands. Yes. No. It was what Father cared about.

"If you actually believed you were justified in burning her face like that, why did you keep the truth from me? Why did you—"

"Enough."

"And your brother. You said he drowned, but the truth is you tried to kill him. He spared your life in Ba Sing Se and—"

"Shut up! Don't think because I'm being restrained that you can say what you like to me. I'll get out of these cuffs eventually."

"And then what? You'll burn me as well?"

There was a heavy silence.

"You want to know why I chose to stay by your side?" Ty Lee said. "It's because I still believe in you. Even after everything you've done, even after all the horrible things I've witnessed, I still believe in you. I believe my friend is still in there."

Azula's mouth twisted. "Believe in me? Is that what you call this? _Believing_ in me?"

"All the violence and cruelty—this isn't who you are. This isn't who you have to be."

_"You could have been more than this. You still can."_

Azula laughed without humour. "How like my mother you sound. She used to say the same things to me, you know. When I hurt the stupid turtleducks, when I burned Zuko in our games or, as my dear mother liked to say, _went too far_." Bitterness filled her mouth, sticking to her tongue like poison. "She was always scolding me. Telling me I could be better. Telling me to be more like my brother."

"Azula …"

"But the truth is my mother was a liar. She said she loved me, but she was scared of me. She said I could be better, but all she wanted was to make me weak. To make me controllable."

"That's not—"

"You're just like her." The bitter thing was turning hard. Choking. "You don't believe in me. You're just scared. You don't like what I am, so you lie and pretend and—"

"That's not true. I do believe in you. I—"

"Do you take me for a fool? You wouldn't have even left the circus to join me had I not threatened you."

A beat.

"I'm here now, aren't I?"

There was another long silence. Azula exhaled a small puff of flames. Ty Lee's face lit up in flickers of eerie blue, pale but also earnest. They stared into each other's eyes until darkness swallowed the cargo hold again.

"You shouldn't have come," Azula said flatly, leaning back against the wall. "You should have stayed in that cell."

"I couldn't leave you to face them alone."

"I don't need you."

Another beat. "Maybe not, but that still doesn't mean you have to do this alone."

Azula closed her eyes. Her throat felt odd and tight again. She didn't say another word.

oOo

It was a stranger who came to the two girls later. The lantern he held in one hand illuminated his features and cast a warm glow over the hold. He was young, maybe in his mid-teens, and wore his long black hair in a high ponytail. His clothes looked Earth Kingdom—plain browns and greens with little adornment.

"Who are you?" Azula demanded.

The boy didn't even look at her and simply placed the lantern on the floor. In his other hand, he held a tray of food and two cups.

"I'm talking to you."

He knelt in front of her with one of the cups, then mimed for her to drink.

She made a point of rattling her chains. "Take these cuffs off first."

His brow creased. He mimed for her to drink again.

"Are you deaf? I just told you to take the cuffs off. I can't drink with my hands chained behind my back."

"Um." Ty Lee shifted onto her knees. "Azula, I think he might actually be deaf."

Her brow furrowed.

The boy stared at Azula with soft eyes. Pale gold eyes. He placed the cup down and rested his fist, thumb upturned, on the palm of his other hand before moving his hands away from his chest. He mimed drinking once more, then with his right hand bunched his fingers and thumb together and tapped his mouth twice.

"I think he's saying he'll help us eat and drink," Ty Lee said.

"I gathered that." Azula pursed her lips and looked at the boy. "Can't you just remove the chains? We've done everything that Shen and Hina have asked. You can trust us."

He followed the movement of her lips closely, then shook his head. He made some complicated gestures with his hands, but neither Azula nor Ty Lee understood what he was trying to say. Azula regretted not learning sign language when she was younger.

"Drink. Eat. Help you." He signed and even made an effort to say the words despite struggling to enunciate.

Azula frowned. It was degrading to have to be fed like a baby, but the protesting growls of her stomach and the fact she knew she needed to keep her strength up sealed her surrender. Pride would have to be put aside for now.

"Fine," she muttered.

The boy carefully placed the cup to her lips and helped her to drink. He fed her the food next, quiet and patient. It was hardly a gourmet meal—just some boiled vegetables and rice with dried meat—but it was better than nothing. He shuffled to Ty Lee and repeated the process.

"Thanks, cutie," Ty Lee said when he was finished.

His brow creased. He'd obviously caught her lips moving but had not understood.

She flashed him a smile. "Thank you."

He quickly smiled and brought his hands up with his palms facing him, then bent his knuckles twice in what looked like a motion to tell her to come closer. Ty Lee leaned towards him, but he just laughed and shook his head. He repeated the motion with his hands and this time mouthed, "You're welcome."

"Oh." Her grin widened. "Got it."

The boy nodded and then picked up the tray and lantern. He left as quietly as he had come, shutting the door behind him. Now the hold was dark again.

"He was nice," Ty Lee observed.

"He's also helping to keep us locked up in here."

"He was still nice."

Azula rolled her eyes.

There was silence for a moment.

"Hey, Azula?"

"What?"

"We're going to get out of here, right? I mean, you do have a plan … right?"

"Having regrets already?"

"Not about coming with you." Ty Lee paused, and there was a clinking of metal as she shifted. "I just … I don't like small, dark places all that much."

"I know," Azula said more softly.

She knew all of her friends' weaknesses. She'd made it a point to know. Still, after everything that had happened—all the betrayals, all the ways that useless lump in her chest had been made to hurt—she was not sure if she should even offer reassurance. Ty Lee could not be trusted. It was just a fact. There was no point trying to cultivate the friendship again no matter what the other girl said.

_"I couldn't leave you to face them alone."_

Azula gritted her teeth.

Mother would tell her to give Ty Lee another chance if she were here. Father would say she was a fool for letting herself get distracted by emotions and betrayed in the first place.

_"Can you not control your own tools, Azula?"_

Was Ty Lee just a tool?

"Azula?"

The princess exhaled. "I'm tired."

Ty Lee took the hint and said nothing more. Azula went back to closing her eyes and listened to the sounds of their breathing.

oOo

Mai found Zuko sitting on a crate with his head in his hands. "You look terrible," she observed.

"It's this technique. I can't get the hang of it."

"I'm sure you'll get it eventually. You always do."

He raised his head from his hands to look at her, his eyes widening a fraction.

"Don't look so shocked." She leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. "I watched you train when we were kids."

He tilted his head slightly. "You used to watch me?"

"Sometimes."

"Why? I wasn't any good."

Her mouth twitched into a self-deprecating smile. There was no way she was going to admit she'd had a crush on him. "I was curious," she said flatly. "Anyway, the thing I noticed was that no matter how much you struggled with a technique, you just kept at it. You practiced until you got better. And look at you now: good enough to keep up with Azula in a bending duel."

"It took me years just to master the basics, and I had a lot of help. I don't think I have that luxury now."

"Because of the Silencers?"

He nodded.

Mai was quiet for a moment. "What about Azula? I heard what happened last night. The bond …"

He shrugged and leaned back on his palms. "I still don't know what she was trying to do."

"She hasn't tried again?"

"No. I only felt her take over the connection for that brief moment."

"You don't seem too worried."

He shook his head. "It's not that."

"Then what?"

"I just … I keep thinking about the last time I saw her. I told her I was going to find Mother. She practically begged to come with us. Said she'd be on her best behaviour." He shifted so that he was leaning forward and frowning at his hands. "She was serious, Mai. I knew it when I looked into her eyes."

"Azula tried to kill you. Twice."

"Believe me, I'm well aware of what my sister has done. That's why she's still locked up in that cell."

Mai looked him up and down. "Yet here you are worrying about her."

"She's still my sister."

Mai let out an exasperated sigh. "Zuko, it's this kind of thinking that keeps getting you hurt. Azula doesn't care that you're her brother. She doesn't care about anyone. You would do better to forget all about her."

"I can't."

"She's dangerous."

"I know!" He stood up abruptly. "I know she's dangerous! I know she'd probably try to kill me again if given the chance, but I can't stop caring! I can't erase all the memories we've shared together!" He ran his hands through his hair, tugging at the strands. "And now I can feel her all the time because of the bond."

"Whose fault is that?"

His jaw tightened.

"Look, I'm just saying that if you hadn't rushed to heal her, you wouldn't be having these problems now. I warned you nothing good could come from helping her. You should have just let her—"

"Die?"

His tone was harsh but his eyes were vulnerable. This was hard for him. Mai had always known it as well. Zuko was stubborn and passionate, but he was gentle at heart. It was what had caught her attention when they were younger: his niceness, his sincerity, his desire to protect instead of hurt. But this was the real world. This was war.

Mai held his gaze steadily. "Yes," she said at her flattest. "You should have let her die."

He turned the other way. "You wouldn't understand."

"You're right. I don't understand why you keep worrying about a person who has done everything they can to hurt you. You're as bad as Ty Lee."

"Is it really so bad that I didn't want to watch my sister die in front of me? I know she hurt you, Mai, but—"

"There is no but." Mai's voice hardened. "Azula is a calculating, manipulative monster. She can't be saved. She can't be helped. Get that in your head before you do something stupid again."

He lowered his gaze as if in resigned acceptance, but she noted the way his hands balled into fists. This idiot really couldn't hide anything. It was no wonder Azula had found it so easy to hurt and take advantage of him when they were children.

"You know what she's done, Zuko," Mai said more softly. "Just because you're her brother doesn't mean you have to keep giving her chances. Azula doesn't deserve it. You know I'm right."

He said nothing. Barely even acknowledged her.

Mai gave a small sigh and left him alone. There was no point arguing about this anymore. These bleeding heart types were always so caught up in their emotions.

She went up onto the deck and made her way towards the bow. It was another clear day. People lounged around in groups playing tile games or chatting. Travelling at sea was a tedious affair even when secret organisations could be on their tail. There wasn't much to do outside of maintaining the ship. Mai was already getting a little stir crazy.

"Hey."

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Sokka approaching. They hadn't been talking much of late. There had been a … _moment_ between them on the beach. That had been bad enough, but then his girlfriend had turned up. Now everything was awkward. Mai didn't like awkward.

"You stink like fish," she said flatly.

He rubbed the base of his neck. "Uh, yeah, I was helping to catch some before."

"Then you should wash."

"Is it really that bad?"

Mai just stared at him.

"Sheesh, alright. I'm sorry I dared to offend your noble nose with my fish-smelling presence. Next time I'll just leave you here to stand all alone and—"

A big sigh. "Sokka."

"What?"

"Shut up."

The corners of his mouth curved upwards. She turned away to hide her own tiny smile. Though she'd never admit it aloud, she appreciated that he always understood she wasn't trying to be antagonistic with her blunt dryness.

"So, Mai—"

"There you are!"

Both teens looked over to see Suki coming towards them. Suki explained that she had been talking with Toph and they had decided to set up a little fighting tournament. It would help pass the time but also serve as combat training. Bending was allowed, though Toph had agreed to keep hers toned down so she didn't destroy the whole ship.

"You want in?" Suki asked, smiling at them both. "We're doing sign ups now."

"Sounds interesting," Mai said. "Count me in."

Sokka grinned. "You know I'm in."

"I hope you've got better then," Suki teased her boyfriend. "I won't go easy on you this time."

Of course he fell for the bait. He claimed with all his usual dramatic flair that he was way, way better than he'd been back on Kyoshi—that she wouldn't stand a chance against him, in fact. Suki just laughed and told him to keep dreaming.

"I've got moves you don't even know about," Sokka informed her.

"Oh?" A flirty spark lit up Suki's eyes. "Do tell."

"And that's my cue," Mai muttered.

She slipped away while the two continued to tease and flirt with each other, something foreign and unwanted wriggling around in her stomach. She didn't like these feelings. She didn't like feelings period. Too bad it wasn't as easy these days to pretend she was made of stone.

Mai glanced over her shoulder and saw Sokka and Suki share a kiss. It didn't make her heart ache—not really—but she felt odd all the same.

Repressing a frustrated sound, she headed back below deck. She'd rather throw knives at a board for a couple of hours than deal with all these unwanted _feelings_. Azula had said a lot of messed up stuff over the years, but she was right about one thing: emotions were dangerous if left unchecked. They almost always got you hurt.

oOo

"You're not very good at this, are you?" Shen observed.

Azula gritted her teeth. He'd asked her to track Zuko again, but she had been shut out almost as soon as she had made contact with her brother. "Maybe it would help if you unchained me."

"I don't trust you. You forget I've seen into your soul—every ugly bit of it."

She swallowed back the frustration that wanted to spill from her lips. Ty Lee watched them from the other side of the hold with wide eyes.

"You can trust me about this," Azula said. "I won't try to escape or attack you again."

Shen raised his eyebrows. "You haven't even told me who healed you. Trust goes both ways, Princess."

"I'm leading you to him, aren't I?"

"Poorly. Sometimes I wonder if you're even trying. Perhaps you're holding back to give him a chance to get away."

"Believe me when I say I want to find him just as much as you do."

"Perhaps." His bland smile flickered into play. "But if you were really going to cooperate with me, you'd tell me his name."

Her eyes narrowed.

Shen crouched in front of her. "Well? I think it's time, don't you? Think of it as a show of good faith."

She resisted the urge to moisten her lips. Even she couldn't explain why she had not given up Zuko's name. There was no reason to protect her brother. No reason at all. She was just using him to get to Mother. Still, the thought of speaking his name aloud made a tiny part of her recoil. There was something about Shen that made the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

"He's no one," she muttered. "Just a boy who got in my way and decided to heal me when I got injured."

"Now I know that's a lie." He tilted her chin more towards him. "Child, your heart would not fester obsessively for a nobody. He is important to you."

"I told you he's no one." She forced her heart to remain steady. "I don't even know his name."

Shen exhaled and stood up. "I wish I could believe you."

Flames streamed from his hand in a rush of heat. A scream, the smell of burning flesh. Azula's eyes widened a fraction as she stared at the smoking wound on Ty Lee's stomach.

"You don't seem the type to cave to torture," Shen said calmly, "but in my experience people do not like to watch their friends get hurt. I wonder if you'll be any different."

Ty Lee made pained little sound, tears spilling down her cheeks. Her wound was still smoking.

"Well?" he prompted.

Azula's nails dug so hard into the metal cuffs encasing her hands that one of her nails broke. "You really think I care if you hurt her?"

"Do you?"

She swallowed. Maybe. Maybe not. The concern she felt for others was like an unused muscle, sluggish and quick to protest when put to use. Logic had always ruled her heart. It was what Father had taught. Right now, she knew if she told Shen her brother's name, he would assume that Ty Lee could be used against her in the future. If she was silent, Ty Lee would likely be hurt more.

"It's just a name," Shen pointed out.

Her eyes met Ty Lee's. The girl looked like she was desperately trying not to sob.

_Idiot_ , Azula wanted to say. _I told you that you shouldn't have come. Now you've put me in this situation._

The voices in her head were back as well. Mother reminding her that Ty Lee had chosen to come because she had not wanted Azula to face these people alone—because she still considered them friends. Father asking if Azula was so weak as to let herself be manipulated and controlled …

_"I did not raise my daughter to be someone else's tool."_

Her gaze flickered back to Shen. "Hurt her all you want. It won't change what I know."

Shen smiled that bland, unnerving smile. He grabbed Azula's arm and let fire pulse in a hot burst. Pain ripped into every inch of her nerves. She bit her lip to stifle the scream clawing at her throat. Her flesh was burning. It hurt. It hurt so much, and it was only getting worse.

_"Now you know what it feels like,"_ Jet taunted in her mind.

Azula clenched her teeth harder, but the groans were beginning to escape now, getting louder and more uncontrolled. Shen only smiled. There was no emotion in his eyes, no emotion even in his expression. He wore the smile as if it was a hat—something you put on now and then.

"Stop!" That was Ty Lee, huddled and still crying. "Please stop."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Little Rainbow."

"But her arm!"

"Oh, I know." Shen stared calmly into Azula's eyes. "She might have to lose the arm entirely at this rate."

Azula bared her teeth in a pain-twisted grin. "You think that scares me?"

"I think it scares your friend."

Her eyes snapped to Ty Lee in a warning glare. _Don't you dare say anything!_ she tried to project telepathically. _He needs me alive. He needs me functioning._

And it was Zuko whom Shen wanted. Getting injured was a small price to pay for being able to keep some cards up her sleeve.

Ty Lee cried even harder, tears and snot streaming down her face. "Please, Shen!" she said, curled on her side and groaning in pain. "We don't know his name! Azula is telling the truth!"

Shen glanced between the two girls, all the while maintaining the flames that burned their way through Azula's arm. The smell of burning flesh—her own flesh—was pungent under her nose. It was a reminder of the charred body she had left behind to claim a throne, of the traitor whose face she had marked as a punishment.

It was a reminder of the day her brother had been banished.

"You're wasting your time with this," she hissed. Black dots blurred her vision and a scream swallowed her next words, but she pulled herself together enough to look him in the eye. "Burn me all you want, but I can't tell you what I don't know."

He held her gaze for a moment before allowing the flames to die out. "A pity."

Without another word, he left the hold. Azula collapsed against the wall, not even daring to look at her arm. Her mind was a scream of pain, pain, pain. It throbbed and numbed.

"Why did you let him do that?" Ty Lee asked.

"Shut up."

The hiss was a stinging whip. There was no saying if Shen was listening from behind the door.

Ty Lee fell silent. That was a relief. Azula's vision was turning into a swarm of crawling, black spiders and flashes. She closed her eyes and let the world go blank.

oOo

"Was that really necessary?"

"Not happy with my methods, Hina?"

Azula stirred, listening to the voices floating around her. Shen and Hina.

"Her arm is badly damaged."

"So? She doesn't need her arm. All that matters is she shares a bond with the one I sensed. She can lead us to him."

A long pause.

"There's no need for you to give me that face." Shen's tone was calm. "The child is hardly worth anything. Her soul is as ugly as the deeds she's no doubt committed. I assure you, there's no …

Shen and Hina's voices got more distant as if they were moving away from her, or maybe unconsciousness had just stolen hold again. Azula felt like she was bobbing in and out of water—a snatch of awareness and sound, but seconds later she would be back to muffled darkness.

The next time she opened her eyes, the boy who'd given her food was sitting next to her. They were in a cabin and she was lying on a bed. Warmth hummed through her, soothing rather than the burning flames from before.

"What are you doing?" she croaked.

"He's healing you."

Azula craned her neck to see Hina standing near the door, arms folded and an expression like stone.

"You're lucky your arm didn't need to be amputated," Hina continued. "Or should I say you're lucky he's a good healer." She nodded at the boy.

Azula glanced back at him. His eyes were glowing faintly like Zuko's had done, but their energy felt different. With Zuko, it had always felt like she was being wrapped in a big, warm hug by the sun. With this boy, it was more like the warmth of a lazy summer day, easy and relaxing.

The boy pulled his hands away. He signed something in graceful movements.

"He says that's all he can do tonight," Hina translated. "He'll come back tomorrow to work on it more."

"And Ty Lee?" Azula couldn't help but ask while the boy wrapped a bandage around her arm. "Did she get healed as well?"

"Shen saw to her personally."

Azula's jaw tightened.

Hina signed something to the boy, who nodded. She came over and helped him to stand, slinging her arm around him in a steadying manner. "You want my advice, Princess? Learn to master that tracking skill. The sooner we find the person who healed you, the sooner this will all be over."

The two left and shut the door behind them. A decided click told Azula the door had been locked.

She exhaled heavily and closed her eyes. Her arm was like a numbed bit of nothing attached to her shoulder. She tried to move her fingers, but they barely twitched. Panic clawed at her chest in the scrabbling claws of a wildcat, but she quickly clamped down on the feeling. This was fine. This was okay. That boy was going to heal her. They'd said her arm hadn't needed to be amputated. Surely that meant she would be able to move it again.

Right?

Her breathing quickened and grew shallow. Doubt intruded into her mind, foreign and unwanted. It asked her if her defiance had been worth it—protecting Zuko's name, proving that she wasn't a tool to be controlled. She had almost lost her left arm. She could barely move it now.

Had she made the right call?

"Father?" she whispered. "Did I do it right?"

But he didn't answer her. He never did except to berate her.

Azula squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. She didn't want to call on Mother. There was no saying if the woman might turn up. Azula hadn't seen her since she'd left the cell in Ba Sing Se. That had been the only positive thing about being taken prisoner. Right now, she had no desire to see that mixture of pity and false concern on her mother's face.

"I am in control," she told herself. "I can still turn this situation to my advantage."

Somewhere, somehow.

_"You want my advice, Princess? Learn to master that tracking skill."_

Azula let out a deep breath. Without even really thinking about it, she found herself reaching for the bond—reaching for her brother.

No response.

A lump formed in her throat. "Don't hide from me, Brother."

That was the one thing he had never done. She'd hurt him over and over when they had still lived together in the palace, but he'd never shut her out. He'd never turned his back on her. Not really. If she were to be completely honest, he was the only one she'd actually trusted to be there for her, even if she'd stopped going to him for comfort a long, long time ago.

_"It's okay to be scared, Azula."_

She swallowed as the memories washed over her: sitting curled up against him on his bed, his arm warm and secure around her. The thunder she so detested booming and growling in the sky, but even so it wasn't so bad because they were together. He'd let her stay with him the whole night. He'd been nice then, and she had grown to hate him for it.

Like sunlight spilling through a gap in clouds, a golden thread dangled before her mind's eye. The bond.

She seized hold of it and in an instant it was as if she was being cradled in her brother's energy. The world melted around her and there was only warmth and light. "Zuko?"

There was a pause, almost hesitant.

"Azula?"

An emotion she couldn't quite describe swept through her. She had found him. She had finally found him.


	10. Brother and Sister

Zuko's breath caught in his throat. His sister sat slumped at his feet, golden flames all around them. "You're hurt," he said quietly.

It was the reason he had lowered his defences. The first time she'd tried to overtake their bond again, he'd shut her out fast. The second time he'd hesitated. In amongst the raw power and burning cold that had clawed through the door and tried to creep its way around him, he'd sensed threads of pain and distress. He'd sensed that his sister was in trouble.

So now here they were—connected soul to soul, energy to energy, as close as two people could be in a spiritual sense. A part of him knew he should be wary, maybe even afraid, but it was difficult to feel anything except pity as he looked down at her. She was struggling to piece together her dignity, struggling just to get to her feet.

"Azula." He kept his voice low, the kind of tone used to soothe a wild animal. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I found you." She laughed lightly, but the sound was off. There was an edge of _something_. Something fractured.

He risked taking another step closer. "Azula, you're hurt. Tell me what happened. Did the prison guards—"

"I keep asking myself why I protected you." She laughed that fractured laugh again. "I did, you know. I didn't tell him anything. You should be grateful."

"Him?" Zuko's brow creased. Nothing she said was making sense. "Just tell me what happened."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? Because you're hurt and I want to know what's going on."

A harsh smile curved her lips. "Oh, Zuzu. I tried to kill you. Shouldn't you be happy I'm in pain now? I would be."

"I'm not like you."

Her smile turned ugly. "No, you're not. Then again, you're the one who got banished. For all your goodness, Father never considered you worth keeping around." She tilted her head. "Is that why you chose to side with the Avatar? You knew you could never please Father, so you decided to fight against him instead?"

"What? No."

"But you were willing to come home with me when I said Father revoked your banishment."

"Yeah, and you lied."

Satisfaction gleamed in her eyes. "Then that's it. You were all upset because he wanted to lock you away for embarrassing him so much, so you—"

"No! That isn't why I—stop trying to change the subject!"

"I'm not. I'm just trying to understand why my brother turned his back on his nation and family."

"As if you and Father didn't turn your backs on me first."

"So you admit it." The satisfaction was back. "You became a traitor because you're an oversensitive—"

"I told you it isn't like that! I just realised what I'd been doing was wrong! Everything Father orders, everything he expects from us, it's all wrong! Can't you see that?"

An odd smile played on her lips. "If Father were here, he'd say you're just a weakling full of excuses."

Zuko bit back a frustrated sound. It was impossible trying to have a conversation with her. He could sense that she'd been injured badly, that her heart and mind were in turmoil, but she just had to keep antagonising him. It was like she wanted him to get mad and push her away.

"Why did you force a connection with me?" he asked tiredly. "What do you want?"

Her brow furrowed a fraction—just a hint of confusion. It occurred to him then that maybe she didn't know why she'd manipulated the bond either.

Zuko sighed. "I'm cutting the connection. If you're not going to say anything, then—"

"Wait. Don't shut me out."

"Then tell me what happened."

Her mouth twisted and her eyes narrowed a fraction. It was such a simple request, but of course she couldn't see it that way. Sometimes it seemed as if she only knew how to offer him poison and pain.

"Shen," she finally bit out.

He took a step forward. "Shen?"

"That's his name. He's like you, some kind of firebender healer, except he's not like you at all." A warped smile. "Father would probably like him."

Zuko's heart pounded against his ribs. That sounded a lot like Yuzo's half-brother. "Tell me everything."

She explained how she had been taken from the Ba Sing Se prison, along with Ty Lee. There were two others who travelled with Shen—a chi blocker named Hina and another healer whose name she didn't know—but Shen was the one in charge.

"He's trying to use me to get to you," Azula said. "I don't know why, but he sensed you somehow and now he wants to find you more than anything."

Zuko swallowed. It was just as Yuzo and Shizue had warned.

"Zuzu, what's going on? Why is Shen looking for you?"

There was something different in her tone. For years she'd said the appellation as if it was an insult, but in that moment she just sounded tired. Even her expression had lost its cold edges. She looked young and exhausted.

"I … I'm still learning about everything," he admitted.

"Typical. You always were slow."

He let the insult slide. In truth, he had a pretty good guess as to why Shen was hunting him, but he wasn't sure if he should tell Azula. She was so good at putting on an innocent face. She was so good at twisting the knife into his back when he least expected.

_"Azula is a calculating, manipulative monster. She can't be saved. She can't be helped. Get that in your head before you do something stupid again."_

He bit his lip. "How does Shen expect you to help him?"

"Through the bond. He taught me how to use it to find you."

"And are you trying to find me now?"

Their eyes met. Frosted stone crept into her expression.

"You think this is all a trick," she accused. "You don't trust me at all, do you?"

"Can you blame me?"

"I've told you everything! Why would I even tell you about Shen if I was working with him? It would be better to take you unawares."

"You were struggling to make a connection before. Maybe you realised you'd never get anywhere so long as I was shutting you out. Maybe you—"

She laughed humourlessly. "Right, and then I told him to torture me. Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?"

"I know it sounds ridiculous. No person in their right mind would ask to be tortured, but if you thought you could use your pain to your advantage, you just might."

"Are you kidding me?"

He wished he was. He wished he could believe that the disbelief and frustration he saw in her eyes was sincere. He wished he could listen to her words and not wonder if they were all lies. But his sister was clever. Too clever. Worse, she knew all his weaknesses.

"You had to know," he said softly. "You had to know the only reason I'd lower my defences to you is if I sensed you were injured."

A hush, a small catch of breath. Her eyes remained locked with his as the golden flames rippled around them like curtains of silk.

"Shen is going to kill me, Zuko. The only reason I'm alive is because he still believes he can use me. I'm not working with him. I'm just trying to survive."

Ice wriggled through his stomach. It didn't sound like she was lying.

"I haven't told him who you are, but I have agreed to help him find you. We can use that to our advantage."

"We?"

She reached for his hand. He flinched at the contact. "Work with me. We can beat him if we do this together."

"Azula …" He shook his head, a hollow sinking in his stomach.

"What? Why do you look at me like that?"

"How can I trust you? You always lie. You always end up making me regret it."

She clutched his hand tighter. "You can trust me about this."

"I bet you said the same thing to him."

Something flickered in her eyes. The sinking sensation in his stomach got worse. Spirits, he had guessed right. She had said the same thing to Shen. Zuko should have known it would be like this. It always was with her. He tried to pull his hand free.

"Wait." Azula grabbed his other hand. "I'll admit I said the same thing to Shen, but I didn't have a choice. I have to make him believe I'm willing to help him."

Perhaps that was true, but Zuko was also certain she had her own agenda. He tugged his hands free and stepped back. The fractured look glimmered in her eyes again, little threads snapping one by one.

"Why?" she suddenly demanded. "Why did you heal me if you're just going to turn your back on me now? Am I not your sister?"

His fingers dug into his palms and he lowered his gaze.

The silence was long. Painful.

"Listen to me, Brother." She moved closer, her tone urgent. "I can't do this without you. I need your help. Ty Lee needs your help. Don't forget it's you who Shen wants. Will you really abandon us just to protect yourself?"

He let out a small breath. "Fine."

"You'll help?"

He nodded.

She didn't smile, but he could see the familiar hints of smugness glinting in her eyes. She thought she'd won, that she'd manipulated him into doing her bidding once again. She couldn't understand that he'd already resigned himself to toeing a cliff edge from the moment he'd lowered his defences to her.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked.

This time her lips did curve a fraction. "I have a plan …"

oOo

The ocean was an endless blue surrounding the ship. Zuko frowned and leaned against the railing near the bow. He'd felt obliged to tell everyone of the agreement he had made with Azula, knowing it would impact them as well. Needless to say, the news had not been received well. No one had forgotten what had happened in Ba Sing Se.

"Tea?"

He glanced over his shoulder to see his uncle offering him a steaming cup. His brow furrowed a fraction. "Let me guess, jasmine?"

Iroh smiled. "Thought you might need it."

"Pretty sure I've told you before that tea isn't the answer to everything."

"Indulge an old man."

Zuko sighed and accepted the cup. He took a sip. They were both silent for a moment, just watching the horizon together and listening to the lapping of water.

"Are you sure about this, Nephew?" Iroh asked softly. "I know you have a good heart, but you must know the risks you're taking …"

"I know."

Another long pause.

"Well, perhaps this is for the best," Iroh mused.

Zuko raised his eyebrow in surprise. "That's it? No more lectures?"

"I can see you're going into this with your eyes open. It would be different if you believed Azula's words without question."

A beat of silence. "Is it wrong to hope she won't betray us this time?"

"Wrong?" Iroh sighed. "No, Nephew, I don't think it's ever really wrong to have hope. But I do fear your father's influence may be too strong when it comes to her. Only a foolish man would throw himself off a cliff to help someone already falling. Know your limits, know hers, and understand that sometimes it is best to let go."

Zuko nodded. Even if he didn't like it, he knew that the chances he could give Azula were not endless. She pushed the line too much. Eventually, justice would demand its due.

Iroh patted him on the shoulder. "We will make this work. As for the others, I'm sure they will come around. If there is one thing I have learnt in all my years of being a general, it's that some risks must be taken. At least this way we can keep our eye on Shen. The bond goes both ways, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Azula told me enough that I figured out how to sense her in return. Wherever she is, Shen will be as well."

"Then we must prepare ourselves for the confrontation."

Zuko ran his finger along the rim of his cup. "Honestly, it seems hard to believe we should even be worried. There are only three of them, excluding Azula and Ty Lee. What can they do against all of us?"

"A lack of numbers does not always lessen the threat. We know the Silencers are highly skilled assassins who work in small units to efficiently and quietly remove any threat. They will not come at us openly."

That was true. Just like when he'd done solo missions as the Blue Spirit, the Silencers knew how to use their lack of numbers to their advantage.

"Just keep your guard up," Iroh advised. "Don't let Azula know more than necessary."

"Right."

The agreement had put everyone aboard at risk. Zuko wasn't going to take any chances. He wouldn't let this be a repeat of Ba Sing Se.

oOo

Ty Lee huddled in the centre of the hold. Azula had been taken away unconscious. Shen had come later to heal her burns, but then she'd been left alone in the dark. Only the tall, scary lady came to check on her from time to time, mostly to give food and water or to empty the slop bucket. That was how Ty Lee kept track of time. Six meals had been brought to her, so that meant almost two days had passed.

It was crushing.

She needed to see the sky. She needed to feel the wind on her face.

She was not made for darkness and cramped spaces.

Quietly, she hummed songs to herself—all the ones she had picked up from her travels. When that failed to keep her distracted, she painted pictures in her mind of sunshine and the circus, happier days when she had been free. It helped, if only a little. There was a scream building in her chest. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take of this. Just being locked up in Ba Sing Se prison had been bad enough, but this was even worse.

The door opened. Light spilled into the room, but it was not the scary lady who stood on the threshold. Ty Lee sat up straighter and met Shen's gaze. He wore that odd, emotionless smile that made ice prickle down her spine.

"It's time, Little Rainbow."

All the moisture in her mouth seemed to vanish. "Time for what?"

"For you to find your wings."

Her brow furrowed.

Shen closed the distance between them. He pressed his thumb to her forehead and his left hand over her heart. "Don't fight me. You'll only make it harder for yourself."

She swallowed, heart leaping. Suddenly, his eyes glowed brilliant gold and power crackled in the air, raising the fine hairs on her arms. Light flared. She could taste heat, feel it tingle all over her skin. But she was frozen. She could not move, could not even blink.

Then the fire forced itself inside her.

A scream was snatched from her throat. Everything was burning. Flashes of heat and power pulsed all through her. She stared up at Shen with wide eyes, except he looked odd now. The bursts of colour that made up his aura were too bright. Even his features seemed to morph, becoming thinner, less bland. Streams of black hair rippled around him like a halo. In the background, she almost thought she could see misty, human-like figures connected to him by threads of gold.

"What … what are you?" she choked out.

He held her gaze steadily and let more energy flow out of him, intertwining and rooting itself with her own until he had her completely enfolded in his power.

_Wake up._

The command boomed within her. It stole the world and painted a vastness of stars and aurora swirls, but she could not go anywhere. She was trapped in a cage. Her heart raced and raced and raced. Suddenly, the bars of light burst into flame. It was so intense that she had to shield her eyes with her arm, and even then the heat licked at her skin. Soon, the entire cage was nothing but drifting ash. Wind ruffled her hair and clothes. It beckoned like a siren.

_Come._

A figure wreathed in flames appeared before her, hand extended. Ty Lee swallowed. Something in her whispered that this was wrong, that this was not how she was meant to leave the cage, but the wind was too tempting. It whispered of another life, one where she had soared high—high enough to dance with clouds and reach for stars.

It whispered of wings she had lost and dreams she had buried.

_Come, Little Rainbow. Claim what is yours._

Ty Lee stepped forward and took the figure's hand. In a blink, all the stars and swirls of colours vanished. She was back in the hold, back to kneeling and looking up into Shen's face. Tears stung her eyes and slipped down her cheeks.

"What did you do to me?" she whispered.

Sweat dripped down his forehead and silver glinted in his hair. He looked pallid and frail, but his expression was calm as he pulled his hands away from her. "I removed the seal."

She moistened her dry lips. Her pulse seemed to tattoo itself to the inside of her throat.

"There now, little one. Don't look so troubled. This is who you are, who you were meant to be." He patted her on the head before turning to leave.

"Wait!" She stumbled to her feet only to collapse back to her knees. It was like her entire body had become jelly, yet there was something inside her that had not been there before. Something that tingled at every brush of air.

"Your body is in no condition to be moving right now. Rest. I will come for you tomorrow."

The door clicked shut, leaving her in darkness once again. Ty Lee let out a breath. It frightened her that she could sense the way her breath fanned out like the corporal puffs on a winter day.

_"This is who you are, who you were meant to be."_

She hugged her knees tight to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart continued to pound against her ribs.

oOo

"You've drained him practically dry," Hina observed.

Shen spared a glance for the unconscious boy slumped on the chair. "That's what he's here for."

"And if he dies?"

"He's not going to die. Tomorrow I'll allow him to gather more energy from the sun. He'll be moving around again in no time."

Hina's jaw tightened. "This had better be worth it."

Shen turned to her with one of his bland smiles. "My dear, how much faster do you think we can travel if we control the winds?"

"Is that all you care about? Just being faster?"

"I need to find the one I sensed."

"Look at you! Grey hairs, sallow skin. Your body is already beginning to deteriorate."

"Worried?"

She inhaled a sharp breath. Her hands balled into fists but she quickly flexed her fingers out again. "I just think you're wasting too much energy."

Shen stepped closer and took her chin in his hand, tilting her face down more towards him. "Hina, Hina, if you are so concerned about the energy I am expending, perhaps you should focus on helping me find the one I want. That was the agreement, remember? I allow you to keep your mind and you assist me."

"I haven't forgotten."

"Good. Then go make sure our dear princess does her part. Leave Little Rainbow and this one to me." He nodded at the boy.

Hina didn't move. Her hands had bunched back into fists and trembled ever so slightly. "They're still human, you know. Just because you can bend them to your will doesn't mean you should use them like tools."

The blandest of smiles graced his lips. "Oh, Hina. Sometimes you can be so tiresome."

She twitched. It was the barest flinch, but it was still the flinch of a woman who expected lashings of fire and pain. Her throat bobbed.

Shen patted her cheek. "Go now. I grow weary of your company."

A tiny exhale. She glanced at the boy one last time before leaving the room.

oOo

Azula stared at the lantern swaying from the cabin ceiling. Her left arm lay useless at her side. For all the healing treatments she had received, she couldn't even close her hand into a fist. A bubble of laughter pushed at her lips. Crippled, captured. How pathetic.

_"You're being too hard on yourself."_

She sat up with a jerk. Her mother stood on the other side of the room looking at her with those sad eyes.

"No," Azula muttered. "You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be in that prison cell where I left you!"

_"I'm always with you … if you want me to be."_

"I don't want you!"

_"That's a lie."_

Azula bared her teeth. "Shut up! Leave me alone!"

_"Is that what you really want? To be alone? My poor child, you already are alone. Zuko doesn't trust you, and it's only a matter of time before Ty Lee realises her mistake in following you."_

"I said shut up!"

Azula squeezed her eyes shut. Her mother wasn't really here. She couldn't be. Zuzu was looking for her somewhere in the southwest. Her mother wasn't here. Her mother wasn't here. Her mother wasn't here.

_"Why do you hide from me? I'm just worried about you. Look, you're hurt. Let me—"_

A scream burst from her. She opened her eyes to blackened walls and lickings of sapphire. Hina barged into the cabin moments later and demanded to know what the hell Azula thought she was doing.

"Mother wouldn't leave me alone."

Hina's eyebrows vanished into her hairline. "I see. Well, next time try not to torch the place when you chase her away. We're on a boat, remember?"

Azula seized control of the remaining flames and snuffed them out. "When am I going to be let out of this room?"

"When Shen says you can."

"And how likely is that?"

Hina folded her arms across her chest. "When he chooses. Now make the connection. Shen wants an update on the healer's location."

"I already checked. He's still heading southwest."

"You don't have anything more specific?"

"No. Perhaps he's blocking me somehow."

The older woman's eyes narrowed. "Then make him not block you. Shen doesn't have much time."

"What do you mean?"

Hina's jaw tightened. "Nothing. Just hurry up and figure out your healer's destination." She left on the words and slammed the door behind her.

Azula stared at the door for a long moment. She ran her finger along the blanket, her brow creased. All the scrambling buzzing in her mind was settling down again. She'd found something to focus on, to ground herself.

"You slipped up, Hina," she murmured.

And if there was one thing Azula was good at, it was taking advantage of people's slip ups.


	11. The Island

Wind swirled around Ty Lee's hands, fluttering her clothes and the loose strands of her hair. Her chest tightened and her heart fluttered and skipped erratically. She swallowed. The wind got larger, expanding and expanding.

"Don't lose it," Shen warned. "Keep it under control."

Her hands trembled. The white sails flapped with the wind and the waves sloshed harder against the sides of the ship. She couldn't slow her breathing. All that power, all that _bending_. Her stomach twisted and heaved, even as the boat groaned and rocked to the side.

"Stop." Shen placed his hand on her shoulder. "That's enough."

She exhaled shakily and collapsed to her knees. The wind died in an instant, allowing the sails and waves to calm. A lump formed in her throat.

"Do you know where you went wrong?" Shen asked.

Her head remained bowed. "I got scared."

"And why were you scared?"

"Because …"

His grip tightened on her shoulder.

Tears prickled her eyes and she lowered her head even more. "Because I don't want to be an airbender."

Shen knelt in front of her. "That's a lie. When I broke the seal, you took my hand. You wanted the power to bend. Don't deny it."

"It was a mistake. I shouldn't have—this is wrong. I'm not meant to be this way."

"You are perfect." He took her face in his hands and met her gaze. "You are perfect, Little Rainbow. Don't be afraid. Learn to control your abilities. Learn to master them."

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "The Fire Nation hates airbenders. They'll hate me now. They'll probably try to imprison or execute me."

Maybe even Azula would feel obligated to kill her once she learned the truth.

He wiped away her tears. "You and I are not so different. Those like us have been hunted and killed just for existing, but something I have realised is that it's not enough to hide. The ones who fear and seek to hurt us, they are the ones in the wrong. You should not deny yourself just to appease them."

Ty Lee frowned at her hands.

"Come." He helped her back to her feet. "Let's try again, and this time don't let your fears get to you. Air is the element of freedom. Embrace your power. Enjoy the wings it will give you."

She bit her lip.

"You still hesitate?"

"I just … I don't understand why you're doing this. Why break the seal? How did you know I was a bender? How do you even know all these airbending forms? You're a firebender. You shouldn't know—"

"There are many things I've picked up over the years." He stepped back from her. "Now enough talking. Show me what you can do. See if you can make the ship move faster."

She almost flinched. He'd been kinder of late, but she had not forgotten his flashes of cruelty. She had not forgotten that he was holding her and Azula prisoner. Safety on this boat was only assured through cooperation. It was a warning in his eyes.

Quietly, she resumed a bending stance and guided the air into following the movements of her hands. It was as natural as breathing, as natural as walking on thin tightropes high up in a circus tent. Yet that was also the scary part. It was too natural.

_"Don't be afraid."_

She inhaled and closed her eyes. Shen was right about one thing at least: she would gain nothing by shying from her bending. Air was a part of her. Nothing was going to change that. She had to learn to control the wind. She had to learn to use her wings, as he called it. Maybe then she would be strong enough.

Maybe then she and Azula could escape … if Azula would even want to be around an airbender.

oOo

It was the cute boy who brought Ty Lee her meal later. Though she was allowed on deck to practice bending with Shen, she was still kept in the hold whenever she wasn't needed. Fortunately, the room had been made cosier for her with blankets and a lantern—rewards for being cooperative—but it was still lonely. She was glad to see the cute boy. He was much nicer than the others, even if they'd only met the one time.

"Hello again," she beamed. "Did Shen assign you to be Azula's jailor or something? I never see you down here."

The boy tilted his head. Right. He was deaf. That might be a problem. She'd been hoping to get information about Azula since Shen liked to keep her guessing and Hina was as tight-lipped as a doll, but Ty Lee had never learnt sign language. Unless …

She waited for him to place the tray of food down, then quickly held her hands up in a halting gesture so he wouldn't leave. He paused obligingly. His eyes were soft and curious—not like the hardened eyes of Hina or the deadened calm she often saw in Shen. That encouraged her.

 _"Hello,"_ she wrote slowly on the floor, near the lantern's light. _"Can we talk like this?"_

His mouth lifted at the corners and he sat down next to her. _"Yes. Though I can't stay long."_

She nodded. _"My name is Ty Lee. What's yours?"_

_"Atsuo."_

_"You healed my friend, right? Is she okay?"_

His brow furrowed and he paused a moment before writing. _"The wound was bad. I couldn't heal her arm fully. I'm sorry."_

_"But she's okay?"_

_"As okay as any of us can be with that thing around."_

_"Thing?"_

Atsuo's finger paused on the first stroke of the character he'd been about to write. His hand trembled with so much force it was as if he was trying to push against an invisible wall. A muffled sound escaped his throat.

Ty Lee's eyes widened. "Are you okay?"

The boy let his palm fall flat against the floor. His cheeks were too pale and he seemed to stare at nothing. Seconds dragged and he still did not move. She tapped his arm, getting his attention before writing to ask if he was okay.

He met her eyes briefly. _"I have to go."_

"Hey, wait—"

But he had already fled and locked the door behind him.

Ty Lee let out a breath. "That was weird."

She wondered what he had been going to say. She wondered why he had stopped.

oOo

"You're not going to watch the final round of the tournament?" Katara asked, coming to sit next to Zuko on the crate. "It's about to start."

He shook his head. "Aang will probably win anyway."

"Still could be interesting. The match is between him and Suki."

"It's just a fight."

She nudged him with her shoulder. "Is this because you got out in the first round?"

"What? No. And that was Azula's fault."

He'd been in the middle of a match with Tomoki when Azula had contacted him through the bond, making him lose his grasp on the fire shield he'd been forming. A second later he'd been knocked out of the ring.

"Sure, sure. Blame it on your sister."

He furrowed his brow. Katara's lips curved into a cheeky grin.

"What about you?" he said. "I don't see you in the final."

"Toph got me," she muttered, grin quickly twisting into a scowl.

He bit his lip so he wouldn't smile.

Katara sighed and leaned back on her palms. "Well, I guess we both lost in the end."

Silence settled between them, though it wasn't uncomfortable. There was no need to scrabble for words to keep the conversation going when they were together. It was something he appreciated about her.

"Hey," she said more softly. "About Azula … has she said anything else?"

"There isn't much she can tell us. Shen keeps her isolated. She doesn't see anyone except the chi blocker who brings her food."

"Have you wondered that she might be lying to you about her situation?"

He traced his finger along the cracks in the crate. "All the time."

The pause was much longer this time.

"Sorry." Her hand came to rest on top of his. "I guess you don't want to hear this from me right now. I know everyone has been giving you a hard time."

"It's fine. I can't blame you all for not trusting her. She is what she is."

Katara squeezed his hand. "At least we'll be at the island soon. We can save your mum."

"I don't even know what I'll say to her," he admitted. "So many years have passed since we last saw each other."

"Then just give her a big hug, like this." Katara's arms came around him, holding tight. Her voice softened to a whisper. "I think she'd like that."

oOo

They reached the island two days later. It was small, not even worth a dot on the map, but it had naturally-formed pillars walling everything off like jagged rows of teeth. A few smears of colour were glimpsed between the sharp points—scraggly shrubs that seemed on the verge of death.

"Looks cosy," Sokka observed.

Zuko's mouth had gone dry. He couldn't believe his mum had been living on this barren spit of land. How could anyone survive here, let alone for years?

"I, uh, think I've changed my mind about going ashore," Tomoki said. "This place gives me the creeps."

"Coward," Toph taunted.

"Or is it wisdom?" Shizue gazed at the island with an unreadable expression. "It would be better if most of you stayed on the ship. This is no ordinary place. There's something here that plays tricks on the mind, makes you do unthinkable things."

"Isn't that what baldie is for?" Mai said dryly. "The Avatar is supposed to have some special connection with the spirits."

Aang rubbed the base of his neck. "Uh, yeah, but I never got taught about the spiritual side of things. I kind of just wing it." He gave a sheepish grin.

Mai stared at him until his shoulders drooped and he fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve.

"I'm sure it will be fine," Katara said, always ready to be the optimistic one. "Aang managed to appease Hei Bai. He can do the same for whatever spirits inhabit this island. Besides, we're already here. We can't turn back."

Shizue frowned. "I'm not suggesting we turn back, but I warned you before that a smaller group is best."

"She's right," Iroh said. "There's no need for us all to go. Besides, we know from Azula that Shen is close. We need people to protect the ship and stop the Silencers from interfering."

Zuko stepped onto the ramp leading to the stony beach. "Well, I'm definitely going."

Aang and Shizue were also a given. Katara insisted on coming, which prompted Sokka (who didn't want to be left out) and Hakoda (who wanted to be with his kids) to join as well. The rest agreed to stay with the ship.

With that decided, the group of six headed for the pillars. The sharp little stones that speckled the beach crunched under their boots—the only sound to be heard aside from the waves lapping against the shore. Zuko swallowed, his shoulders pinching. Everything seemed so untouched here. So lifeless.

"Where would my mother even be?" he murmured, looking ahead to Shizue. "Do you know?"

She paused with her back facing them. "Probably at the centre of the island."

Hakoda moved to stand beside her. "Judging by your tone, it doesn't sound like that's a good thing."

"It's not. Plus, we'll have to pass through the maze to get there."

"Maze?" Sokka questioned.

She pointed to a gap between two pillars. "In there. The path is narrow and splits often. It's easy to get lost."

"You don't remember the way?" Katara asked.

"It's been years and my memories were rewritten. What do you think?"

"Right. Sorry."

Sokka grabbed Aang's shoulders. "Not a problem. Aang can just do his airbendy thing, get to the top of one of those pillars, and tell us the way!"

"On it!"

Aang was off with a blast of wind. The others coughed and waved the dust from their faces. They soon spotted him running up the side of the closest pillar.

"He's fast," Hakoda observed. "I never knew airbenders could run like that."

Sokka scrunched his nose. "It's all air. I bet I could take him if he used no bending."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I seriously doubt that. Even I'm faster than you."

"Are not."

"Are too. Don't you remember that—"

"Quiet." Shizue pushed them both out of her way as she stepped closer to the pillar. "Something's wrong."

Zuko's brow creased. "You're right. Why's he just standing there?"

"Ah, he's probably just taking a while to figure out our path," Sokka said with a careless wave of his hand. "Don't worry. He'll be down soon."

All the hairs on Zuko's arms prickled. "No, he's not moving his head or anything. He's just … standing."

Shizue let out a hiss. "We have to get him down. Get him down now!"

Zuko was already running. There was a chill pumping through his veins, urging him to move faster, faster, faster. Suddenly, Aang stepped off the pillar. No warning, no attempt to shift into a proper form for landing. Just walked right off and began to fall.

"Aang!" Katara screamed.

No wind to stabilise, no sound or show of awareness. Aang was going to make impact with the ground head first.

Zuko cursed and threw himself forward—just in time. The younger boy fell into his arms and was quickly scooped to his chest as momentum carried them forward. One breath, two breaths. It took Zuko a moment to realise they had stopped. Then the adrenaline faded and he was aware of the bone-deep ache in his arms and how much his back stung. He must have grazed it on the sharp rocks.

"Aang?" He raised his head to look at the other boy, who was a dead weight on his chest. "Aang, are you alright?"

A small groan, a shift of limbs. "What … what happened?"

"You almost got yourself killed!"

That was Katara. She pulled Aang into a tight hug, even as she continued to scold him for trying to give her a heart attack. Sokka, Hakoda and Shizue also crowded around and demanded to know what had caused him to walk off the pillar like that.

"I did what?" Aang glanced up at the pillar with wide eyes. "But I was just …"

"Just what?" Zuko prompted.

"I … there was a path. It was solid and everything."

"Sure," Sokka said dryly. "Real solid. Except, you know, you just _fell_!" He waved his arms around as his voice got louder and more panicky. "What are we supposed to do? Aang is meant to be our spirit buster guy, yet he's the one seeing invisible paths and almost dying! This place is nuts!"

Some of the colour had drained from Shizue's cheeks, but she held her head high. "I did warn you. I warned you the island plays tricks."

Hakoda looked at her grimly. "You mean we can expect more things like this?"

"The spirits know we're here." She looked up at the towering pillars. "They're probably watching us right now. My guess is they felt the Avatar was ruining their fun by trying to cheat the maze. What we just witnessed was a punishment."

"Punishment?" Katara repeated. "Aang almost died!"

"What did you expect? An easy stroll? These spirits don't care about human lives. They don't care about any of us!"

Zuko stepped onto the narrow path.

"Woah, hold up there," Hakoda said, reaching to pull him back.

"Why?" Zuko turned to face them. "What's the point of standing around here and discussing this? We already knew coming here would be dangerous."

"That's true, but—"

"My mother has been trapped on this island for years. You can go back to the ship if you want, but I won't. I won't leave without her."

Aang straightened his posture. "I won't either. I promised I'd help. That promise still stands."

Katara slipped her hand in Zuko's. "Me too."

The three exchanged a strained smile. Sokka groaned and grumbled about how he thought the island was creepy and how they were all probably going to die, but he also agreed they should keep going forward. Zuko's mum was depending on them.

"Alright," Hakoda said, "but I suggest we stick together from now on. No more straying from the group. No more shortcuts. We don't want any more … punishments."

They all nodded in agreement.

Shizue led them into the maze, her face pale and her eyes as hard as granite. Zuko took one last glance at the ship before it passed out of view. Then there was only rock and a spider web of paths.

oOo

"That must be the healer's ship," Hina observed, peering through the telescope. "It would take more than a few people to run a ship that size." Her lips twisted. "The princess didn't mention anything about a crew."

"Mm, yes, I'm sure she thought she was being clever," Shen said placidly. "You see, this is where we're supposed to realise we're outnumbered and flounder in panic."

"Ridiculous. We'll just get her to tell us how many people are on the ship. Then we can make a plan."

"Oh, I wouldn't bother with that."

She lowered the telescope. "Why not?"

His eyes glittered oddly. "You've never heard the stories about this island, have you? People say it's cursed. Those who go near it are never seen again."

"You don't actually believe that, do you?"

He just smiled.

She frowned and peered back through the telescope, this time shifting her attention to the island. It looked normal enough, if a bit bleak. Then something greyish-white gushed from the pillars, thick and slithering around the island like a hoard of white snakes. Her heartbeat quickened.

"What … what is this?" she murmured. "The entire island is shrouded in fog. How is this even—"

"Perfect. We can go ashore now."

_"What?"_

He patted her shoulder. "Don't be afraid. The island is doing half our job for us, but it wouldn't be good if the healer got caught up in it as well. We need to retrieve him."

Fear crawled up her throat. "You mean the curse on this place is real?"

"In a way. The island is controlled by spirits. Rather unpleasant spirits."

"And what's going to stop them from harming us?"

"That's a risk we have to take."

She tightened her grip on the telescope and her pulse throbbed uncomfortably in her neck. "Enough! We may be able to fight any number of humans, but not spirits! You're going to get us killed!"

"Hina dear, have you forgotten why I need this boy? Have you forgotten what it will mean for your friend if I can't reach him?"

She stiffened. "No, but—"

"But what?" He stepped closer and even though he was a whole head shorter than her, it felt like he was looming. "My power and knowledge is far beyond your comprehension. Trust me when I say we will leave this island alive if you listen to me, but only if you listen to me."

She swallowed and resisted the urge to step back. "Are you sure? Are you sure you can keep us safe?"

"One hundred percent."

There was a pause as they stared at each other.

"Fine," she said, looking the other way. "But what about Atsuo and the two girls?"

"They're coming as well. Our healer seems to have found a way to hide his energy from me; the princess can be used to locate him faster. As for Little Rainbow and the boy, they have their own uses."

She glanced back at the island, though all she could see now was fog and the jutting tips of rocks. Her heartbeat quickened again. Fear was sticky on her tongue, staining her lips with words she wanted to speak, but she held it all in. She and Shen had come this far together. It was too late to turn back now. Far, far too late.

oOo

Mai stepped onto the deck and saw only fog. It was thick and choking, blinding everything. Panicked shouts sounded from all over the ship, along with mutters about curses and ill omens.

"Oi, brat!" she called. "Where are you?"

A light went up a few metres away. Firebender. She moved closer and found herself meeting Yuzo's pale gold eyes.

"Knives," he greeted.

"Spare me the nicknames. Where's Toph? She's the one we need right now."

"Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't seen her since our rescue team left. Can't see jack in this fog either."

Another light struck up. Tomoki was soon at their side, cradling his own fire above his palm. Sokka's girlfriend stood beside him. "What's going on?" he asked. "Where did this fog even come from? It's like I just blinked and suddenly it was all around us."

Mai folded her arms across her chest. "Cursed island, remember? Seems staying on the ship wasn't so safe after all."

Tomoki turned to the cabins. "I'm going to find the lieutenant and general. They'll know what to do." He dwindled into an orange glow as he vanished back into the fog.

"I somehow doubt those old men will be able to stop this," Yuzo observed, waving his hand at the hazy cloak enfolding the ship.

Mai shrugged. "You're probably right." She glanced to her left, only to frown. "Where's that fan warrior girl? Wasn't she just here?"

"Fan warrior girl? And you complain about my nicknames."

She rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" Toph's voice shouted from a distance away. "What do you think you're—"

There was a cry of pain. Yuzo and Mai exchanged a startled glance before rushing to the direction of the sound. They found Toph stooped on her knees, groaning and with one hand pressed to her head.

"What happened?" Mai demanded.

"Fan Girl. She was trying to leave the ship, but when I went to stop her she hit me with her stupid fan and ran off down the ramp." A small hiss. "Damn that hurts."

Mai's eyebrow rose. "You actually got hit?"

Colour bloomed on Toph's cheeks. "I'm allowed to have an off day, okay? Besides, there's something about this place that just … messes with everything."

"That I can believe," Mai muttered. "This fog is weird. Still, why would that girl run off? She must not be able to see a thing out there. We have to bring her back before she gets hurt."

Now it was Toph's turn to raise her eyebrows. "Didn't realise you two were so close."

"We're not, but see how much Sokka fusses if he learns we didn't help his girlfriend."

Toph pulled a face. "You're right."

Yuzo glanced between the two girls. "I suppose you want me to come."

"Obviously." Mai grabbed his arm. "You're going to be my light."

"Wait!" Toph suddenly thrust her arms out and managed to trap one of the Water Tribe warriors in metal before he could throw himself overboard. A split-second later she had to do the same for another. Her face was white and her eyes wide. That fall would have seriously injured both men.

"What the hell is going on?" Yuzo muttered. "Has everyone gone crazy?"

Mai gritted her teeth. "Seems like it."

She didn't know what to do now. The longer they stayed on the ship, the farther Fan Warrior Girl got away. But if they left, what would happen to everyone else? Were any of them really safe?

Toph stiffened. "I think someone just came onto the ship."

"Fan Warrior?"

"No … it doesn't feel like her." A tense pause. "Wait, I lost them."

Suddenly, there was a scream and a gurgling sound from up ahead.

Knives rimmed Mai's knuckles and her breathing sharpened. "I don't care if this person is one of us or not. I'm not dying today. Not here."

"Then maybe this will help," Yuzo said.

He let his flames expand in a rush, only to have them collide with another wall of orange. As the glow faded, a boy with long black hair turned to look at them. Blood smeared his cheek and dripped from the sword in his hand. There was a wounded man at his feet.

"Atsuo?" Yuzo whispered.

The boy stepped forward.

"I thought you were dead." Yuzo trembled all over. "I felt our bond get cut." He made a few complicated gestures with his hands before making a motion as if to throw himself into the other boy's arms, but Mai held him back.

"Don't," she hissed. "Look at him, you fool. He just stabbed that warrior."

"No. No, Atsuo would never—"

"There's blood all over him!"

Yuzo's eyes widened as he finally seemed to register the dying man and the blood smears. He staggered back a step. "Atsuo?"

The boy threw flames at them. Toph quickly put up a metal shield.

"You sure this is your lost boyfriend?" she demanded. "Because judging by the heat of his flames, he doesn't seem too interested in a happy reunion."

Yuzo shook his head. "I don't understand. That's definitely Atsuo, but he would never—he hates fighting! He would never try to hurt us."

"Better rethink that, because that's exactly what he's trying to do." Toph paused. "Though it seems we're not his only target. He just ran off."

"Damn it." Yuzo dashed after him into the fog.

Mai blinked and then scowled. "I wish people would stop doing that." Not to mention she couldn't see again. "Well, what do we do now? Go after him or Fan Warrior?"

"Lovesick Boy is still on the ship … and he just bumped into Gramps. I think he'll be fine. Let's go for Fan Girl."

"Alright, but I have to warn you I can't see a thing without Yuzo."

A warm hand latched onto hers. "No problem. I'll be your eyes."

Mai was already being dragged down the ramp before she could protest.


	12. Nightmare

It was difficult to run. The fog was thick and the ground far from even. Mai slipped and skidded on the stones. She had never felt so awkward, so certain she was about to crash into something or fall flat on her face, but Toph's grip was firm and her voice was always there to call out instructions. They dashed across the beach, weaving around pillars and through narrow passages. They ran even as panicked shouts and screams haunted their steps.

Were the screams getting worse?

Mai's pulse spiked. No, best not to think about what was happening on the ship. Focus on finding Suki. Suki was the one who had gone off alone.

"How far did she run?" Mai grumbled. "Can you sense her?"

"She's not too far ahead. Think you can go faster?"

"Just don't let me hit anything."

Toph let out a reckless little laugh and quickened their pace. The fog pressed closer, a creature slithering around their bodies and breathing icy chills. Shivers crept up and down Mai's spine. There was nothing natural about this place. It was like everything on this island was sentient—the rocks, the fog, the very air they breathed.

They rounded a corner and Toph came to an abrupt halt. Mai smacked into her back. The misty haze had thinned into wisps, allowing glimpses of a cavern and a dozen pillars. Dull light streamed from a hole in the ceiling that looked up into the open sky. That was when Mai saw the snatches of auburn and cloth stuck to one of the pillars. No, sticking out from _inside_. Bile rose to her throat and she swallowed, her eyes widening. Spirits, there was the arm, the face …

Her hand clamped down on Toph's shoulder. "Get her out," she said in a voice that trembled far too much for her liking. "Get her out now."

Toph took up a stance and raised her arms in a sharp motion. The pillar shook and little bits crumbled off, but it didn't break apart like intended. In fact, the rock only seemed to spread even more around Suki, pulling her in deeper. The girl was going to be suffocated at this rate.

"Why isn't it working?" Mai demanded.

"I … I don't know. It's like the rock is resisting me."

Mai cursed and ran forward, scrabbling at the pillar with her fingernails. "Hey! Fan Girl, can you hear me?"

The rock continued to creep around the warrior.

"Damn it! Toph, do something!"

"I'm trying!"

Beads of sweat formed on Toph's forehead. She punched and stomped, shoving at the air and basically shifting into all sorts of bending moves, but the earth did not rise to her command nor would the pillar be bent. Whatever resistance this place had to earthbending, it was powerful.

Mai's eyes narrowed. A knife slid down from her sleeve and slotted neatly into her grasp. "Let her go!" She stabbed and gouged at the pillar, working her blade in to tear off chunks. "Stupid hunk of rock."

"Keep doing that! Whatever's pushing back at me just wavered a little. I think you're weakening it!"

"Right."

The two girls continued to work together: Mai hacking away at the rock and doing her best not to harm Suki, while Toph fought a battle of raw bending strength to seize control. Eventually, the pillar shattered and Suki spilled onto the ground, pieces of rock clattering around her. Mai was at her side in an instant. She leaned down to check the girl's breathing and pulse.

"It's fine," Toph said. "She's alive. She's still breathing."

This was true. Mai frowned and shook Suki by the shoulders. "Hey. Hey!" She slapped her on the cheek. "Wake up!"

Suki's eyes snapped open. Suddenly, an elbow came for Mai's throat. She lurched back in surprise, only to have her legs swept out from under her and her back hit the ground in a bruising jolt. Twin fans flashed open in a deadly rush.

"Woah, Fan Girl, calm down!" Toph exclaimed. "You're okay! We freed you!"

Suki bared her teeth. "Where is she?"

"Where's who?" Mai stood up, brushing some of the dust from her clothes. "You ran off on your own."

"Sis! She was here! I followed her!"

Toph's brow creased. "Suki," she said in a softer tone. "No one else is here. It's just us."

Suki's breathing harshened. "Liar! You took her from me!"

The girl lunged again. Mai's eyes widened and she quickly side-stepped, catching one of the fans with her knife before it could strike her in the face. Suki snarled and brought her other fan down, but Mai knocked that one away with a flurry of bo shuriken. A tiny smile curved her lips.

"I've got a whole lot more where those came from," Mai taunted. "You sure you want to do this?"

Suki twisted the remaining fan in a quick motion and kneed Mai hard in the stomach, sending her staggering even as the knife was wrenched free with the motion. "Why not? You're not so tough."

Their eyes met. Without warning, Suki lashed out with the knife and fan, using the weapons with expert precision despite that they weren't balanced. Damn, but she was good. No wonder the girl was the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and had come second in the tournament.

"Oi!" Toph shoved her hands out as if to separate them both. Nothing moved. "Damn it, not again."

Mai almost smiled, though that could just be the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She deflected a knife to the chest and backed up to give herself more room to wield her weapons. "Don't think this island is too fond of listening to your earth tricks, brat."

"Oh, shut up."

Suki's eyes glittered dangerously. "You waste energy bantering with each other? Are you trying to mock me?"

"Not really." Mai slid across the ground to avoid being drawn into close combat again and threw the kunai that had been tucked in her sleeve, knocking the other fan out of Suki's hands. "Just waiting for you to remember we're on the same side."

"Same side? You took Sis from me!"

Flipping to her feet, Mai grabbed the girl's wrist and forced the knife high above their heads. "I don't even know who this 'Sis' is. Now stop being crazy for one second so we can get away from this place."

Suki's eyes narrowed. She started to resist, only to freeze up as if shot with paralysis. All the anger melted from her expression and she let go of the knife. "Sis?"

Mai glanced over her shoulder. There was only a pillar and wisps of fog.

"Not good," Toph muttered, grabbing onto both girls. "Time to go. I think our people snatcher is back and my bending still isn't working well."

"Yeah, I'm not in the mood to get trapped in rock." Mai yanked on Suki's arm. "Come on."

"No! I won't leave Sis!"

Suki renewed her struggling with all the viciousness of an animal trying to get loose. A stray elbow clipped Mai in the jaw, pain throbbing in a spreading ache. Muttering a frustrated oath, Mai wrapped her arms around Suki, pinning her arms, and practically carried her away. It was like trying to keep hold of a hissing, wriggling caterpillarcat. The stupid girl was so desperate to get free, so desperate to get herself shut up in a pillar again all for a person who didn't exist. It was creepy and annoying as heck.

"Hurry!" Toph urged.

The fog was thickening again, though it wasn't as bad as earlier. They eventually made it outside the cavern and saw the sun setting through gaps in the haze in fiery splashes of colour. It was going to be dark soon.

"Let me go!" Suki yelled, kicking and scratching and basically being a huge pain in the butt. "I have to go back. I have to—"

"Snap out of it!" Mai put her down but only to slap her hard on the face—much harder than the earlier slap. "Don't you remember what Shizue said? This island plays tricks on the mind. It's just messing with you. There's no one else here!"

Suki glanced around in a daze. "But I—"

"Enough! Sokka seems to think you're intelligent, so use your brain. Why would this 'Sis' of yours be here on this hellhole?"

"She's right," Toph said frankly. "This place is in the middle of nowhere. It's not exactly ideal vacation material either."

Suki blinked as if only now putting all the inconsistencies together. Or maybe it was that she had finally snapped out of whatever weird state the island had put her in. "It seemed so real," she murmured.

"Well, it wasn't." Mai held her gaze. "It wasn't real, and that's why we need to run. Whatever led you to that place and tried to imprison you in that pillar is still around."

"Wait, I got imprisoned in a pillar?"

"We'll explain later," Toph said, and then paused. "Oh no."

Mai eyed her warily. "What?"

"We have a problem." She pointed ahead to where a few Water Tribe warriors were emerging from the fog. Even Cheng the cook was there. "I think more people got lured."

Mai cursed under her breath. This was indeed a problem.

Suki squared her shoulders and stepped forward. "I'll help you this time. Let's get these people back to the ship."

"More like let's get off this island," Toph muttered. "I hope Sunshine and the others find his mum soon."

Mai had to agree with the sentiment. This island was bad news all around. The sooner they could leave it for good, the better.

oOo

"I think we need to accept the truth," Hakoda said grimly. "We're lost."

Everyone exchanged tired and frustrated glances with each other. The maze couldn't even be that big, but it hadn't taken the group long to realise some kind of spirit mischief was at play. When Sokka had got the clever idea to scratch markings into the rock to mark which choice they'd taken at an intersection, suddenly all of the paths had the same little markings. When Hakoda suggested leaving a trail, which he created by ripping pieces of his blue tunic, Katara had been the one to glance back and see the trail vanishing one by one as if snatched up by some invisible creature.

She edged closer to her father. "What do we do? It's getting dark."

Flames bloomed above Zuko's palm, casting them all in a golden glow. "It's okay. Aang and I can firebend. Plus, it's a full moon tonight." He gestured at the sky where the big, silvery orb was already visible.

"It's not light that's our problem," Shizue said bluntly. "The spirits are the ones getting in our way."

Sokka frowned. "Aang, you're supposed to be some kind of mystical mumbo-jumbo spirit mediator, right? Isn't there something you can do?"

Aang lowered his gaze and twirled his thumbs round and round. "I could try communicating with them …

"Great. Do it."

"But I'm not sure it'll work. I don't even know what spirits I'm meant to be talking to."

Hakoda shrugged. "It's more than we can do and it beats walking around these rocks for several more hours. Just give it a try."

Aang moistened his lips and nodded. He walked a few paces away and sat down in lotus form, closing his eyes and pressing his fists together. The rest of them could only watch and wait.

And wait.

"Uh, Aang?" Sokka cleared his throat. "Anything happening?"

"Give me a sec. I'm trying to concentrate."

Shizue's eyebrows inched higher up her forehead. "How long does it take you to concentrate?"

The boy's eyes snapped open, cheeks puffing out. Zuko quickly moved to his side and placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. Katara was on Aang's other side in a mirror pose. They blinked at each other. It seemed they'd had the same idea. For one thing, Shizue was not a cuddly, forgiving person and would probably come down hard if Aang snapped at her. For another, Zuko was pretty sure that Aang's concentration skills, however flaky, weren't the problem here.

"Aang, what's wrong?" Katara said gently. "You can tell us."

His shoulders slumped and he kept his gaze lowered.

"Is this about your past lives?" Zuko asked.

A small nod.

The prince sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"I can't do it without them," Aang mumbled, pressing his hands to his face. "I can't make the connection. There's a just a big nothing and it feels like reaching at nothing. I'm … I'm useless."

"You're not useless," Katara said. "I'm sure it's just—"

"You don't understand!" He looked up at her, eyes glistening. "I've been trying! I've been trying so hard to fix whatever's wrong with me, but I can't! They're not there anymore! Roku, Kyoshi—all of them are gone!"

"But the Avatar power is still there inside you," Zuko reminded him. "I can sense it through our bond."

"I know. You've told me over and over it's just a block and that I can fix it, but what if you're wrong? What if losing my connection to my past lives is the block? What if there's no way to access that power now?" Tears rolled down his cheeks. "I want to help your mum, Zuko. I really, really do, but this isn't working. I don't know if I can do this."

"What?" Shizue marched over. "What did you just say?"

He flinched towards Katara. "I-I just—"

"Are you saying you can't communicate with the spirits?"

Zuko stepped in front of Aang to block him from her view. "Don't, Shizue."

"Don't?" She grabbed him by the collar, half-yanking him towards her. "Did you know about this?" A rough shake. "Did you?"

He swallowed and held her gaze. "I knew he was having trouble connecting with his past lives, but—"

She released him in disgust, practically shoving him away. "I warned you. I warned you that it would be too dangerous to come here without the Avatar." Her finger pointed damningly at Aang. "You call _this_ an Avatar?"

"How dare you!" Katara cried, clenching her hands into fists. "Aang is the Avatar! He's just—"

"A boy." Shizue's eyes were as hard as the rocks around them. "He's a boy who can play with the elements, but it is not air, water, earth or fire that we need here. What we need is the bridge between worlds." Her voice cut like sharpened points of ice. "This boy is not the Avatar. He is broken. Worthless."

Aang's bottom lip trembled and he brought his knees up to his chest, hiding his face against them. The fact he didn't even try to defend himself was the worst part. Zuko turned back to Shizue, teeth gritted.

"You're horrible," Katara said, shaking her head in disbelief. "How can you just say things like that?"

"Because it's the truth. Even he knows it."

Fire tingled through Zuko's fingers. "Stop it, Shizue."

"Just look at him," she continued, unheeding or not hearing the warning. "I can't believe I ever thought this child could—"

"I said stop it!" Flames flared all over Zuko, roaring from his hands and mouth.

"Woah." Sokka backed up a few steps. "Hot."

Shizue raised her eyebrow. "Really, Prince Zuko? You're going to throw a tantrum now?"

He glared at her. "Aang doesn't need this from you."

"Well, here's a truth for you then. This is your fault. You led this child here knowing that he was no longer in full use of his powers or possibly even capable of handling the things we would face. Your selfishness and naivety kept you silent when you should have warned us from the beginning about the risks we were taking."

The flames stuttered. "I-I didn't mean—"

"Make no mistake. If any of us die here, it will be on you."

Knots formed in his stomach and his eyes widened in horror. Was she right? Had he been selfish?

Hakoda gripped his shoulder, his big hand warm and steadying. "That's enough, Shizue."

"Chief Hakoda, you of all people should know I'm—"

"You've said enough."

She held his gaze for a moment before turning away, folding her arms across her chest.

Zuko glanced up at the chief. "Is she right?" He didn't like how small his voice sounded, but he had to ask anyway. "Is this my fault?"

"No, son." Hakoda squeezed his shoulder. "This is no one's fault."

"But I didn't say anything to you all, and Aang did tell me he was having trouble with—"

"Aang." Hakoda turned his head towards the boy, who was now huddled in Katara's arms. "Did you know you can't communicate with the spirits before you came here?"

There was a sniff and Aang emerged from his burrow. "No. I knew I couldn't go into the Avatar State, but I didn't know it would mess up this ability as well. I didn't realise the two were connected."

"You see," Hakoda looked back at Zuko. "No one's fault. If even Aang had no idea this was a risk, how could you?"

Some of the tightness eased in Zuko's chest and the knots unravelled a little.

"I'm not saying mistakes haven't been made," Hakoda said. "We could have prepared better, could have made sure we weren't taking too big of a risk, but that isn't on you or Aang." His gaze shifted to Shizue. "I know of at least one adult who was just as eager to get here in a hurry …"

Spots of dull colour formed on her cheeks.

"So, what do we do now?" Sokka asked. "We're lost. Aang can't communicate with the spirits. Do we keep going or …"

"There's no point." Shizue unfolded her arms. "We can't free Ursa like this. We'll be lucky if any of us even make it off the island."

"You did," Katara pointed out.

"Barely. You saw how the Avatar was manipulated into walking off that pillar. That's not even a fraction of what these spirits are capable of doing."

Zuko's mouth went dry and his heart pounded faster and faster. He'd never forget the horror of that moment. His back still stung and was a little sticky with blood from where he'd grazed it when catching Aang.

"But that was a punishment, right?" Sokka said. "The spirits did that to Aang because he tried to cheat the maze. That's what you told us."

"Look around you!" Shizue thrust her hand out at the tall pillars and web of narrow passages. "The spirits have been toying with us this whole time. We're their entertainment!" A slight tremor crept into her voice. "And what do you think will happen when they get bored of watching us wander around like fools? What then?"

All the colour drained from Katara's cheeks. "No." She hugged Aang closer, though this time it was obvious she was just trying to seek comfort herself.

Hakoda placed his hand on her head. "It's okay, Katara. Nothing is going to happen to you."

"Ah, the reassuring words of a father."

Everyone froze. The voice was soft and feminine, echoing from all around them.

"But they're just lies, you know. Your father is terrified, girl. He fears he won't be able to save you or your brother, just as he was unable to do anything when your mother got murdered. Such a tragedy."

Katara made an odd, choked sound.

"And then we have the Avatar." A cruel laugh. "Or what's left of one. You're not much of anything at all now, are you?"

Aang flinched.

"There, there. It's not so bad. You only broke the Avatar cycle and failed every person in the world who'd put their hopes on you." A pause. "But then, you've already failed the world before, haven't you? You ran away all those years ago. You left the airbenders to die and—"

"Shut up!" Zuko yelled. "Just shut up!"

The spirit's words were crushing the kid. Crushing everyone. Their courage was wilting, their strength crumbling with each calculated strike from that bodiless voice. But what Zuko hated most of all was how familiar it sounded. That was his mother's voice.

"Prince Zuko," the spirit said, spine-shivering sweet. "Oh, you have so many weaknesses. Pitiful thing. No wonder Mother worries so much."

"What have you done to her! Tell me!"

Laughter echoed. "Why don't you come find me and I'll show you?"

"Zuko." Shizue gripped his arm. "Don't. It's a trap."

He shook her off. "I don't care! I have to save her!"

"That's what the spirit wants you to do!" She grabbed hold of him again. "Why do you think it taunts you and speaks in your mother's voice? It wants you to stop thinking clearly! It wants you to fall into its trap!"

"I think she's right," Hakoda said grimly. "That spirit must have something planned."

"So what? Mum has been stuck with that thing for three years! How can you expect me to abandon her now?"

Hakoda shook his head. "We need to be smart about this. We should regroup with the others and—"

"The others?" the spirit said in a far too innocent tone. "Oh, you mean your friends on the ship. I'm afraid they have their own problems."

Ice prickled on the back of Zuko's neck. "What?"

"Listen."

It was like breaking through the surface of water. Sound rushed into his ears in vivid waves—endless screams and shouts.

"Is this real?" Hakoda demanded.

"Of course. It was the silence that was fake. I didn't want you to get distracted." Amusement dripped from the spirit's voice. "Your human senses are so easily fooled."

Horror twisted Zuko's gut. All this time. All this time the others had been suffering and none of them had known.

The spirit let out a low laugh. "Now I have your attention, don't I? If you wish to save them, find me at the centre. I'm willing to come to an agreement. But you'd best hurry. Humans are so fragile …"

"Wait!" Sokka cried. "What are you doing to them? Why are they screaming like that?"

No response.

Aang detached himself from Katara and stood up. His face was pale. "It sounds like a battlefield out there."

Zuko balled his hands into fists. "We have to find that spirit."

"And walk right into its trap?" Shizue shook her head. "Weren't you listening at all before?"

"Weren't you?" Katara retorted. She moved to stand at Zuko's side. "That spirit isn't going to stop. Our friends are being hurt right now, but we have a chance to save them. We have to try!"

"The spirit is probably lying!"

"No," Aang said solemnly. "That's one thing I did learn about spirits. They don't lie. They're not like humans."

Zuko met his gaze. "You're with me then?"

Aang nodded, though he still looked too pale. "I'm with you."

Sokka let out a breath as he came to stand next to them. "Pretty sure Shizue is right and we're walking into a trap, but I also don't think we have much of a choice. Consider me part of Team Suicidal Crazy."

"Is this really the time?" Zuko muttered.

"Time for what?"

"I think he means your team name could do with some work," Aang offered. "It's a little, er … well, it sucks."

"Would you prefer Team Spirit Hunters?"

"Actually, yeah. That's cool."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

Katara tuned the boys out and faced her father. "Dad?"

"Of course I'm coming with you." He cupped her cheek. "You and Sokka are my children. I'm not leaving you now."

Shizue folded her arms across her chest and considered them all through hard eyes. "You realise there's nothing you can do to stop the spirit without the power of the bridge between worlds. No feel good speeches or determination will change that. Even if you find it, you will be at its mercy."

"It doesn't matter," Zuko said. "This is the only way. We brought everyone here. We put them in danger. Now we have to help them."

She stared at him for a long moment before a sigh escaped her lips. "I knew it was a mistake to make that promise to Ursa. Keeping you alive is a full-time mission."

"Then you'll—"

"I'll go with you." She unfolded her arms and her expression softened a little. "If this is to be the end, I would rather die fighting at your side than running."

Sokka cleared his throat. "Uh, hate to break the moment—it's very touching but also really, really depressing—but, uh, you might wanna see this." He pointed to a crevice that had opened up in the wall of rock to their left. "Seems like our creepy spirit friend has offered us a shortcut."

"Or a death trap," Katara said.

"Yeah. Or that."

Zuko stared into the misty passageway. "The spirit wants us to find it. I don't think it really matters which path we take now, so it might as well be this one."

"Then, Team Spirit Hunters, down the death trap we go!" Sokka punched his fist into the air and marched forward.

Shizue pulled a face. "I'm going to die here with a bunch of idiots, aren't I?"

"Sokka isn't an idiot." Zuko said, looking at the boy in affection. "He's just trying to keep our mood up."

They were all scared, all conscious of the screams they could hear in the distance and the fact that maybe not everyone was going to leave this island. Sokka's stupid comments were about the only thing that made the world feel less bleak in that moment. The smiles he earned were strained, but they were smiles nonetheless.

"Come on," Zuko said, stepping into the passage. "We should hurry."

Those left on the ship were still in danger. There was no time to waste.

oOo

Screams and panic. Blood and flashes of spirit blue. The fog had eyes. It was alive and watching, closing in and smothering. Iroh saw it all with the sight gifted to him from a spirit journey he should have never taken. He saw it and feared.

Something whooshed by his ear. He ducked the club and shoved the warrior back against the railing. "Wake up!" he yelled.

The warrior snarled and lunged for him again with the unseeing gaze of one trapped in a nightmare. Iroh cursed and struck him hard in the head, letting him slump to the deck. No doubt the blow would leave a concussion, but it would at least keep him down. So many were falling to the fog, to the whispers and visions. It lured and tricked and turned them against each other. Even Iroh was finding it difficult to keep his mind clear. Sometimes he saw Lu Ten beckoning to him from the fog, sometimes it was Zuko screaming for help. Sometimes he wasn't on the ship at all but back in the battlefields of Ba Sing Se and fighting for his life.

"Get out of my way!"

Yuzo's voice. They'd been separated earlier. Iroh turned to head in that direction, only to see a sword slice through the fog. He stepped back, the tip of the blade just missing his nose. All the breath caught in his throat. Atsuo raised his sword again even as fire wreathed around the blade. The boy's eyes were wide and his hands trembled. There were tears and blood staining his cheeks.

"Move!"

Yuzo's cries were getting closer. Soon, he would be upon them.

Atsuo met Iroh's eyes. He mouthed two words.

"What?" Iroh said.

Atsuo's hands trembled even more and he mouthed the two words again, plus one extra. This time Iroh understood.

_"Kill me. Please."_

Iroh's brow furrowed. Then the sword was coming for him again and he had no choice but to defend himself. He snatched up the dropped bone club from the deck and met the blade, shoving back with all his strength. Atsuo pushed even harder. Heat brushed Iroh's face from the flames that still flickered along the sword. Their faces were close—close enough for him to see there was clarity in the boy's eyes. Clarity and horror.

A grunt escaped Atsuo before he twisted the blade and sent the club flying. Iroh quickly backed up, flames weaving a shield in front of him.

"You're not like the others," he observed. "You haven't fallen to the fog, so why do you attack us?"

The boy only let out a hoarse cry—one that could have been anger or despair—and charged again.

"Atsuo, no!" Yuzo knocked the sword out of his hands with a blast of fire and then shook both fists, thumbs upturned, at the other boy. That seemed a bit odd until Iroh realised he was signing. Yuzo repeated the motion. "Stop! Just stop!"

But Atsuo couldn't. It was something Iroh had also realised. The boy attacked and attacked like a puppet pulled by strings, vicious and relentless, and all the while his eyes burned in that silent plea.

_"Kill me. Kill me. Kill me."_

A piercing scream went up from the other side of the ship. Iroh was torn. Should he go to help? Should he stay?

Yuzo snarled and suddenly tackled Atsuo, wrestling him to the deck. The two boys rolled and struggled in a tangle of limbs. It looked like the sort of roughhousing teenaged boys often engaged in. Then flames burst in an orange flash. Yuzo cried out in pain, but he didn't let go, not even when Iroh ordered him to do so. His skin blistered and burned and he had to be in so much pain, but he just kept pinning the other boy down. Tears mingled with tears.

"I will save you!" Yuzo hissed. "You read my lips, okay? I will save you from whatever has done this to you!"

Atsuo just let out a guttural yell.

Someone bumped into Iroh from behind, careening wildly and stumbling into the boys as well. Yuzo lost his grip. That was all it took for Atsuo to kick him off and vanish into the fog—too fast for even Iroh to attempt to stop him. The man who'd caused the escape just lay on his side and whimpered.

"Damn it!" Yuzo slammed his fists into the deck.

Iroh reached down to help him to his feet. "Come, the danger is not over."

"I don't care!"

"Nevertheless, you are wounded and you need to be treated."

Yuzo shook his hands off. "It's fine. Look." His eyes glowed and the burns and blisters immediately started to fade. "I'm a good self-healer, remember?"

There were many things Iroh wanted to say, but there was something about the brittle look in the boy's eyes that stilled his tongue.

"General!" Tomoki soon found his way towards them. "Thank goodness you're alive and sane." He paused. "You are, right?"

"Sane?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, Tomoki, we're still sane. I'm afraid, however, this is a battle we cannot win. The spirit of this island does not treat its guests kindly. So many have been lost to its whispers and hallucinations."

Tomoki licked his lips. "So, what do we do?"

"I'm not sure if there's anything we can do. Perhaps we should just pray for mercy."

Yuzo stepped away from them. "You can pray all you want. I have to find Atsuo."

"That boy's mind is corrupted by more than the island." Iroh's voice softened. "But I think you know that, don't you?"

Yuzo tensed and their eyes met for a moment. Then he made a frustrated sound and dashed off into the fog, the glow of his flames dimming to little flickers until it was swallowed entirely.

"That kid is going to get himself killed," Tomoki said. "I saw that crazy flame-sword boy leave the ship just a moment ago. Chances are the island of horrors is way worse than staying here."

Iroh let out a breath. "He's following his heart. Who can judge him for that?"

Tomoki just blinked a few times. "Right. If you say so."

A brush of light passed over them. Iroh looked up and was greeted by the shining brilliance of the full moon. His heartbeat quickened. "Never mind that, Tomoki. We should start praying."

"Wait, you were serious about that?"

A smile curved Iroh's lips. "I happen to know a powerful spirit who just might spare us a favour if we ask nicely."

"You do? Which one?"

Iroh pointed up.

"Uh, sky spirit?"

"The moon, Tomoki. The moon."

Tomoki rubbed the base of his neck. "Right. I knew that."

Iroh knelt on the deck and pressed his palms together. There was no shrine to burn incense or place offerings, and this plan was a longshot anyway—he knew that. But Princess Yue, the new Moon Spirit, had offered him aid when he'd fled the North and he was pretty sure she'd helped him reunite with his nephew as well. He hoped she would help again now.

"Oh great Moon Spirit!" Iroh cried loudly. "I call upon you in our time of need and beg for your assistance! Please, help us! Help our friends who have been lured away! Help our minds to be clear and our eyes to see truth!"

 _Please_ , he added silently. _We cannot do this on our own, and I fear for my nephew and those who went with him. Please …_

The moon seemed to glow even brighter.

Tomoki knelt next to him and also started praying. Other voices soon joined in, all begging for the Moon Spirit to save them from the nightmare that wouldn't end. As they cried out with all their hearts, the fog seemed to get thinner and thinner. Iroh could even see the beginnings of the beach.

"It's working," he breathed. "She heard us."

The fog swelled in a sudden rush, a misty cloak that tried to choke and smother. The island was fighting back.

"Keep praying!" Bato yelled from the other side of the deck. "Don't give up!"

Their voices rose and combined, pleading. Hoping. Silvery light poured down and shaped itself into a shield around the entire ship. Now the fog couldn't get in at all.

 _"I will protect you as long as I can,"_ Yue's voice whispered in Iroh's mind. _"This one is ancient and powerful. Even I cannot drive her off forever."_

"What of my nephew? What of the others?"

_"Alive. They go to meet with the ancient one. Your fates are in their hands now."_

He exhaled shakily and looked towards the island.

_"As for those who strayed, my light will find them and lead them back. That much else I can do for you."_

"Thank you," he whispered.

The light dimmed a little but the shield remained intact. Yue had left him. He looked towards the island and the brimming thing of power that stared back. Then he waited and he hoped.


	13. The Ones Who Pull the Strings

Azula sat in the rowboat with her hands encased in metal. Not that she could use her left arm anymore. It was just a useless lump of scarred flesh and bone. Still, it seemed that Shen didn't trust her enough to take any chances, not like he did Ty Lee. The acrobat's wrists and ankles were bare of any restraints and even hawk-eyed Hina wasn't watching her that closely. It was like these two almost trusted Ty Lee. Like they'd all been working as a team for a while now.

Azula's eyes narrowed but she said nothing.

"The screams are getting louder," Ty Lee observed, hugging her arms to herself. "What's going on out there?"

"Quiet," Hina hissed.

"But—"

"No talking means no talking."

Ty Lee ducked her head, hunching into herself like a turtle duck retreating into its shell. Azula ignored the two and fixed her attention on Shen. He knelt on the shore with his back to the boat. Little flames encircled him in a golden glow, batting at the fog that slithered near. Her brow creased a fraction. How much longer was he going to meditate? They'd already been sitting here for ages.

Suddenly, the fog swirled and gathered around him. Azula's eyes widened as a face and body took shape: feminine and beautiful and heart-piercingly familiar. Her chest tightened as if enclosed in a giant's fist and she had to bite her lip from speaking. Shen didn't even flinch. He still knelt with perfect posture and the flames around him hadn't so much as quivered.

"Well, well," the wraith said, and it spoke with her voice as well. "So, you're still alive."

Shen raised his head. "You recognise me?"

"Of course."

"Then you know why I've come."

A smile curved the wraith's lips. "The boy."

Shen bowed low. "Grant us safe passage, ancient one, and I will bring you as many offerings as you desire."

"And if I refuse?"

Shen once more raised his head, the flames flaring brighter all around him. "Then I will pursue him anyway."

A soft laugh. "You dare to challenge a spirit?"

"Spirit or not, your tricks will not work on me. I learned to see beyond the veil of mortality a long time ago."

"Ah, but your body can still break."

"Do you think yours is invulnerable?"

There was a tense pause as the spirit and Shen stared at each other. Then the spirit's misty gaze shifted and met Azula's eyes. Something that might have been delight spread across its face, widening its smile. Its _stolen_ smile.

"If it isn't the young princess," the spirit cooed, inching closer to the boat.

Her breathing sharpened against her will, but her tone was imperious when she spoke. "Why do you wear my mother's face? Why do you speak with her voice?"

A ghostly hand reached for her cheek. "Poor child. Mother is so worried about you."

Her nails dug crescents into her bonds. "Answer me!"

The spirit only smiled and turned back to Shen. "The boy is on his way to me as we speak. Seek him if you will, but understand that what comes to me belongs to me. Do you think you'll be any different?"

"Wait!" Azula cried, but the spirit had already vanished into fog.

Shen let the flames die out and stood up, glancing over his shoulder at the three in the boat. "We go now, and we go swiftly."

"Are you sure about this?" Hina asked, stepping onto the shore. "That didn't exactly sound like a guarantee of safety."

"Don't worry. No harm will come to you so long as you stick with me."

Hina glanced farther down the beach to where the deaf boy had disappeared some time ago, though it was doubtful she could see much through the fog. "And Atsuo?"

"What about him?" A fresh spark of fire danced from Shen's fingers and he lit the two torches she held out for him, keeping one for himself.

"You sent him off on his own."

"Are you offering to go assist him?"

She stiffened.

He smiled and lightly touched her arm. "Relax. I won't make you join him."

A hint of relief flickered in her eyes, but then her mouth twisted and she turned away from the torchlight. Azula's eyebrow arched a fraction. Even with her own mind a buzzing whirl of questions, she couldn't help noticing when people exposed themselves. It seemed Hina was softer than her hard exterior portrayed, though she was also selfish enough to stay quiet if it meant protecting herself.

"Is Atsuo going to die?" Ty Lee asked in a small voice.

Shen glanced at her. "Perhaps. He is clearing the way."

Creases formed on Ty Lee's brow.

Azula stepped off the boat, careful not to lose her balance thanks to her bound hands. "He means that Atsuo has gone to cull the people on the other ship. That way it doesn't matter if they survive the spirit's attack; there won't be enough of them to provide a real threat." She met Shen's gaze steadily. "Am I right?"

"It is as you say. Atsuo isn't the best offensive firebender, but he's handy with a sword when given the right nudge, and the spirit will be plaguing those people with hallucinations anyway. The fog also makes a useful cover."

Ty Lee leapt onto the shore, one hand pressed to her mouth in horror and her eyes fixed on the distance. "You sent him off to kill them like some assassin? But, but Mai is with them and—"

"Hush." Shen's hand came down on her shoulder. "Remember, those same friends left you in a prison to rot. They do not deserve your concern now."

She shook her head and stepped back from him. "That's not how it works. You can't do this!"

"It has already been done."

"Then stop it! Make it stop, please!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Why should I? Why should I spare any of these people who will only hinder me? Why should I even worry about Atsuo? Whether he lives or dies, he will have served his purpose."

Something gave an odd flop in Azula's stomach. She'd spent her life making choices based on the same way of thinking. What Shen said made sense; it was just a fact. But then why did Ty Lee look so sickened? Why did people always get so upset when their illogical pleas and demands were refused?

Was it just weakness, as Father had claimed?

Was it just a sign of a lesser being?

Tears glistened in Ty Lee's eyes. "Don't you care at all? Do you feel nothing?"

_"Monster."_

Azula's breath caught in her throat.

Shen patted Ty Lee on the head in what might have been an affectionate gesture, except his eyes were dead of all emotion. "Ah, Little Rainbow, you always shine so bright. But I don't have time for this sentimentality."

"No, wait." Ty Lee grasped his wrist. "Please, just call Atsuo back. We can figure something out! We can—"

"Enough." He brushed past her to take the lead. "I'd rather not allow the spirit to get to Prince Zuko first."

Azula stilled and all the blood seemed to freeze in her veins. "His name," she murmured.

"What?" He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"You said his name. I never told you it."

He considered her calmly. "Did you really think I didn't know it's your older brother I'm hunting? Foolish child, you forget that I helped you to forge a connection with him."

"Wait," Ty Lee stammered. "But back when Azula and I were locked up together in the hold, you hurt us and—"

"A test. I wanted to confirm something. I also knew it would drive this one"—he nodded at Azula—"into her brother's arms, so to speak."

"What?"

It was all Azula could say. It sounded like he was implying she had been some scared little girl running to her brother for comfort after getting tortured. But it hadn't been that way. She'd just … she'd been trying to figure things out and … and Zuko was an easy tool to use. Yes, that was it. She had a plan and Zuko was part of that. He was just a tool to help her get rid of Shen and find their mother.

It wasn't that she had been scared. It wasn't.

"It was easier, wasn't it?" Shen said in that soft voice of his. "Connecting with him. I knew it would be. He saved you once, so of course he would let you in again if you were in enough pain. Then all I had to do was let you be the manipulative, treacherous wretch that you are."

Her fingernails dug into the metal bonds encasing her hands. No. No, no, no. There was no way he could have anticipated so much. "Ty Lee must have told you about Zuko," she hissed, shooting a glare at the other girl. "She must have—"

"No." He looked at her almost pityingly. "Little Rainbow has not said a word to me about your brother. She's very loyal, you see. I'm afraid you're just not as good as you think you are."

Azula stood frozen. There was an itch spreading over and under her skin, scraping at every nerve, every bone.

_"I'm afraid you're just not as good as you think you are."_

The primal, ugly thing inside of her rattled against its cage. It hissed and snarled for release.

Could it be? Had she let herself be played all this time?

"Now you're beginning to see." He smiled that bland smile. "All those plans of yours, all that plotting with your brother to set up an ambush—it all served my purpose. And you did wonderfully. You've led me right to him when his entire crew is vulnerable."

She blinked a few times, too consumed with rage and shock to even make a retort.

This wasn't possible. This wasn't how it was meant to be. Not for her. Never for her.

Shen turned his back to her, the grey streaks in his hair glinting mesmerizingly in the torchlight. "We've wasted enough time here. You know what to do now, don't you, Princess?"

He did not wait for an answer and marched for the pillars, confident that the others would follow and that she would use the bond to find Zuko faster. Azula didn't budge.

"Move." Hina gave a slight push to her back.

Ty Lee paused mid-step and glanced back at them, biting her lower lip. Somehow, that just made the ugly thing inside Azula hiss and thrash even more. Eyes full of pity. Eyes that no longer looked to her for a solution to all their problems but only offered commiseration. Shunted, used, favoured less than even Ty Lee. It seemed like a joke, like stumbling into an upside down world.

_"I'm afraid you're just not as good as you think you are."_

"I said move!" Hina grabbed her roughly and dragged her forward. "Do you want to be left behind for the spirit?"

Azula's lips curved a fraction, though the smile was far from amused. "Does it matter now?"

"What?"

"My plans are ruined, and I know what's going to happen to me once Shen finds my brother." She raised her head to meet the older woman's gaze. "The real question is: do you think you're any different?"

Hina shot a quick glance at Shen.

"He doesn't care about you any more than he does me," Azula said, quiet enough so only Hina could hear. "You know I'm right. Look what happened to Atsuo."

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying. There were three of you before and now you're down to two. Also, you're no longer the one at his side …"

They both looked to where Ty Lee and Shen were walking ahead.

"You think your words will sway me?" Hina hissed, tightening her grip so that Azula could feel bruises forming. "I know exactly who I'm following. It's you who's clueless. You have no idea what's going on—what's at stake."

"So tell me."

Hina laughed and shoved her forward. "Nice try. Keep walking, Princess. I don't want to hear another word from you unless it's to say you've got your brother's exact location."

"Fine." Azula quickened her pace to walk behind Shen. "Let's just get this over with."

oOo

Mai was struggling to keep one of the big Water Tribe warriors pinned down when the silvery light surrounded them, bright and beautiful as moonbeams. Instantly, the man stopped thrashing. She looked around and saw the barriers had encased everyone else as well.

"What's going on?" Toph asked, letting the rock she'd been straining to bend crash back to the earth. "Something feels different."

"I think … I think it's protecting us," Suki murmured.

"What is?" Toph waved her hand in front of her eyes. "Blind here."

"It's light." Mai stood up and touched the silvery barrier, getting a whisper of warmth and power before her fingers slipped right through. "We've been surrounded by light."

More importantly, the fog couldn't get to them anymore. It crept around and pushed at the barriers like some predatory creature, but it couldn't get in. The warrior at her feet began to cry. It was difficult to say whether he wept out of despair from realising the ghosts he had been chasing weren't real or just the relief of having his mind restored. For Mai, she could only close her eyes and let her hands drop back to her side. Her limbs were jelly and bruises throbbed all over her, but it was over.

The nightmare was finally over.

Suki moved to stand next to her. "I think he's coming back. Look."

Mai opened her eyes and saw a light in the fog slowly get bigger and take shape into that of the Water Tribe warrior who'd got away from them. Cheng greeted him with a hug. Not once did the silvery barriers waver.

"Do you think Twinkletoes did something?" Toph mused aloud. "This has to be the work of spirits, right?"

"Probably," Suki said. "There's no way an ordinary human could do this."

Mai raised her face to the sky. The moon was full and seemed to glow even brighter.

"I think someone is coming," Toph said, stamping her foot to increase her seismic sense. A hiss escaped her lips. "I can't get a clear reading—this place messes up my bending too much—but there's definitely something moving towards us. Maybe two."

Suki and Mai got their weapons ready, neither willing to take any chances. Cheng and the few Water Tribe warriors also came to stand with them.

"There!" Toph pointed east.

A boy emerged from the fog, holding a fist of flames and his long black hair streaming behind him. He froze when he saw them. It was as if he'd hit an invisible wall and even his expression contorted in pain. Mai's eyes narrowed. That looked a lot like Yuzo's boyfriend, Atsuo. But why didn't he have one of the shiny barriers?

Suddenly, he was punching a torrent of flames at them—wild shots that were easy enough to dodge, though one of the warriors had to drag Toph to the ground with him after a failed rock shield.

"I really hate this place!" Toph grumbled, spitting out bits of dirt. "Why is the stupid earth resisting me so much?"

Mai ducked a stream of fire and threw a flurry of bo shuriken at Atsuo. He bent back in a graceful arch, blades gliding past his chest, and rocketed upwards with his fist wreathed in fire. It was eerie the way he glowed amongst the fog in gold and orange flickers. Then he punched down at the earth, waves of fire rippling out in a violent blast and throwing them all back from the force. Her back hit the ground with the bruising thud. She could hear the groans from the others as well footsteps thudding towards them.

"Mai!"

Suki leapt in front of Mai just as flames would have swallowed her up in burning heat. Her heart thumped against her ribs, even as her stomach twisted. No way. Had that girl just taken the hit for her?

"That was too close." Suki glanced over her shoulder. "You alright?"

Mai exhaled. In Suki's hand there was a shield that looked like the twin fans joined together. She must have used it to deflect the flames.

"I'm fine," Mai said getting back to her feet. "And, uh, thanks."

Suki smiled. They stood side by side and turned to face Atsuo, who was now breathing hard and looked on his last legs. No wonder after that flashy move he just pulled.

"Give it up!" one of the warriors yelled. "You're outnumbered. You can't win this."

Atsuo raised his head to the sky as if pleading to the spirits, his arms slack at his sides. That was when Mai heard the little sobs. He was crying.

Suki and Mai exchanged a confused glance.

"Hey," Suki said tentatively. "Are you—"

As if triggered by her voice, a scream ripped free of his throat and he charged at them.

"No!" Yuzo ran out from the fog, silver barrier glowing, and tackled the other boy to the ground. "Stay down! Just stay down, damn it! You're going to get yourself killed!"

All Mai could hear was unintelligible sounds—snarls and grunts and the whimper-like sobs of a wild thing. It was sad. It was like listening to the cries of an animal gone rabid.

"Help me!" Yuzo pleaded. "Help me keep him down! I need to use my hands to talk to him!"

"Kid, that boy wants to kill you," Cheng said flatly. "He wants to kill all of us."

"He doesn't! He's just being controlled! I know Atsuo and he'd never willingly hurt us!"

Mai's brow creased. Maybe that was true, but there was something different about the way Atsuo attacked them. It didn't seem like he was seeing hallucinations because of the fog, even if he didn't have one of the silver barriers to protect him. He just … attacked.

"I'll help." Suki crossed to him and gripped Atsuo's shoulders.

Yuzo nodded to her in thanks, though they both still struggled to keep the thrashing boy down. He was going to break free again at this rate.

Mai sighed and knelt by Atsuo's feet, taking a firm hold on his legs. "He'd better not burn me."

"With any luck, I'll be able to snap him out of this before he can hurt any of us," Yuzo responded.

She said nothing and simply watched as he began signing in a flurry of silent words. Atsuo strained more for freedom, crying out as if in pain.

"Damn it, Atsuo," Yuzo hissed. It was obvious he was trying to stay calm, but she could tell he stuffed up sometimes with his signing when he shook his head and seemed to shove at the air as if to push a word aside. "Look at me! Look at what I'm saying! I know you can understand!"

Atsuo just lurched more against their hold and croaked out something barely distinguishable. Mai didn't understand, but it made Yuzo let out an anguished sound.

"I won't!" he cried, trembling and grabbing the boy's face so that Atsuo was forced to meet his eyes. "I won't kill you! You can break free from this! I know you can!" He signed the words as well, hands trembling and tears worming free of his own eyes.

Mai held onto Atsuo's legs grimly. "Look, talking isn't working. There has to be another way to help him."

"What?"

"I don't know." Frustration edged her voice. "I'm not a sage, and you're the one who's supposed to be some special fire healer. You do something!"

"I-I can't. Messing with the mind is dangerous. That's what we were always taught and—"

"Your boyfriend's mind is already messed up! He's begging us to kill him even as he's trying to kill us! I don't think you have the luxury of worrying about the potential risks now!"

"She's right," Toph said, coming to stand beside them. "Whatever is controlling him is too strong to break with words alone. I think you're going to need to use fire healing."

Yuzo shook his head. "You don't understand. If I make one mistake, I might lose him completely."

"If you don't try, I think you're going to lose him anyway," Mai said without missing a beat. "Look, Zuko did something similar for Shizue and this other lady when they were brainwashed by the Dai Li. He freed their minds. That means you have the same ability. You just have to trust yourself."

Yuzo swallowed. "Prince Zuko is a natural. He just … gets what to do. I can't do that. I've never done anything like this."

"Then do you plan to leave Atsuo this way?" Mai demanded, gesturing with her head at the thrashing boy. "Because if we let go, he's just going to attack us again. He'll keep on attacking until he can't anymore. Is that what you want?"

Yuzo's bottom lip quivered. He closed his eyes, looking so small and young and not at all like the fierce boy they had come to know while travelling together.

"Hey," Suki said softly. "It's okay to be scared. You love him and you don't want to hurt him. That's understandable."

"I just … I always let him down." Yuzo lowered his head, the loose parts of his hair falling forward to veil his face. "I swore I would protect him. I swore that he would be safe with me, but I failed. I let him fall into Shen's hands. I let him become this way. Now I can't even—"

"You can!" Mai said firmly. "You have the ability! You just have to try!"

Yuzo glanced at her for a heartbeat before looking down to meet Atsuo's gaze. His hand trembled as he held it out for Atsuo to see, two fingers curled to leave his thumb, pinkie and forefinger raised. Then he took a firm grasp on the boy's head and his eyes began to glow.

Mai and Suki kept a strong grip on Atsuo so he couldn't break free. The boy still thrashed and snarled and whimpered, driven by whatever was ordering him to attack. It was horrible. This whole situation was horrible, even for Mai who had never considered herself overly sentimental. It wasn't as if she knew Atsuo. Yet even then, even for all her blunt words, her heart felt heavy and she willed with all her soul that the healing would work.

 _Please_ , she begged. _Please let Yuzo heal him. Please!_

Yuzo let out a small grunt and his brow furrowed.

"C'mon," Toph urged.

The tremors in his hands got worse. Seconds dragged like hours, even as more and more colour faded from his cheeks. Mai knew those signs. He was going to be drained dry at this rate.

"Hey," she said in alarm. "Maybe you should—"

An anguished cry escaped his lips. "Shen!" he screamed, face contorting. "You bastard, let him go! I won't let you have him!"

Mai cursed under her breath. If Shen was involved, there was nothing she could say to make Yuzo see reason. That lovesick, stubborn fool would get himself killed trying to free Atsuo from his half-brother.

"Hey, you!" she tossed over her shoulder at the closest warrior. "Come take his legs."

He obeyed without question. Mai moved swiftly, knife in hand.

Suki's eyes widened. "What are you—"

"Saving these idiots."

Mai rammed the hilt hard into Atsuo's head. He made a surprised, pained little sound before his eyes rolled up and his body stilled. No more thrashing, no more whimpers. It was the most peaceful she'd ever seen him.

"What have you done?" Yuzo yelled, lurching for her like a drunken thing.

"You were draining too much of your chi."

He snarled and tried to swipe at her with what she guessed was meant to be a fireball, though all that came out were a few sparks and flickers. "So you try to kill him? You, you—I'll kill you!"

"Stop!" Toph cried, holding out her arm. "He's not dead. I can feel his heartbeat."

"No thanks to her!" Yuzo stumbled to his knees and glared at Mai. "Do you have any idea what a blow to the head like that can do?"

"Too much strength behind the strike and you'll kill a person; too little and they won't stay down." She glanced at Atsuo, who was already beginning to stir. "There's no doubt I've given him a concussion, but the point is he's in no state to fight us now. I weighed the risks and chose the best course of action."

Yuzo slumped forward, withered and limp like a plant that had been sucked of all its nutrients. "You were the one who told me to heal him. I was so close. I could have freed him …"

"No," she said, voice and expression flat. "You would have killed yourself trying and Atsuo would have remained under Shen's control. Then who would have saved your boyfriend?"

He raised his head slightly to meet her gaze, some of the anger melting from his expression.

She offered her hand to him. "We'll figure something out, but for now I think we have to accept that whatever Shen has done is too powerful to break. It's too dangerous for you to keep trying. The best thing we can do is put Atsuo in a secure place where he can't hurt us or come to harm himself."

"The ship's hold would work," Suki said. "It's made of metal, so he won't be able to burn his way out."

Mai nodded and looked back at Yuzo. "Well?"

He frowned before accepting her hand, letting her help him back to his feet. Or at least part of the way. He ended up falling heavily against her, too weakened to stay up on his own. Mai sighed and looped her arm around his waist to keep him steady.

"You fire healers are all the same," she muttered. "Always pushing yourselves too hard."

He was quiet for a moment. "Sorry."

"What?"

A grunt-like cough. "I … you were right … and I shouldn't have attacked you."

Her expression softened a little, though she didn't say anything.

After a brief discussion, the big warrior who'd replaced Mai in leg-pinning duty offered to carry Atsuo back to the ship. There was no rope to use as a restraint, but Atsuo was a firebender and half unconscious anyway, so it didn't matter too much. As Cheng had said, they'd just have to be swift.

Suki paused as they came to an intersection in the maze-like passages. She glanced over her shoulder.

"What is it?" Mai asked.

"I just hope Sokka and the others are okay."

Mai's heart clenched a little—she'd been trying her best not to think too much about what was happening to those who'd gone deeper into the island—but, even so, she took hope in the fact the silvery barriers were still intact. Someone or something out there was protecting them. Maybe that meant it was protecting Sokka and the others as well.

"They knew what they were getting into," Mai said. "I'm sure they'll be fine. Let's just worry about keeping ourselves safe."

Suki nodded and the group continued to make their way through the fog.

Up in the sky, the full moon still shone brightly.

oOo

Shen let out a small hiss and clutched at his chest. Hina was at his side in an instant, demanding to know what was wrong. His skin had taken on a sickly pallor and he grimaced a little. Azula watched it all with sharp eyes. She couldn't be sure, but it almost looked as if more streaks of grey were shimmering through his hair.

"That child is alive," Shen grunted.

"Child?"

"Yuzo." He exhaled all of a sudden and relaxed his posture. "I knew something was strange. I sliced that boy's throat open myself and watched him choke on his blood, but it seems he worked a miracle. He must have been hiding his energy from me." Shen's voice softened to the barest murmur and he lowered his gaze, pressing his hand to his chest. "Did you know this would happen? Is that why you …"

The silence dragged on. Hina cleared her throat.

Shen straightened, pulling himself together. "Let's keep going."

"But—"

"I must find Prince Zuko."

"But you—"

"Enough!" Shen looked at Hina with cold, deadened eyes. "Do you wish to have your friend returned to you?"

She visibly swallowed. "Of course."

"Then don't question me."

The steel slipped back into her expression and she nodded. Azula glanced between them, silent and watchful like a cat-hawk.

"What was that all about?" Ty Lee whispered, inching closer to Azula.

"The pieces are coming together."

"Pieces?"

Azula said nothing. There was still something she was missing—something that would give her the edge she needed. Shen had used and humiliated her, had even tried his best to break her, but he was wrong if he thought she would give up without a fight. That was the one thing she and Zuko had in common: they always fought back, and they would keep fighting to the end.

oOo

The centre of the island was more like a sunken grove. Jagged rocks entwined with vines guarded the way. Greenery sprouted up here and there, getting thicker and lusher until they came to a clearing that looked upon a pool of fresh water. Zuko and the others didn't dare drink from it.

"Somehow, this place is even creepier than the maze," Sokka muttered. He pursed his lips at a patch of white flowers near his feet, the petals delicate like snow. "Well, what do we do now? Looks like no one's home."

Zuko looked to Shizue. Her memories might have got a little muddled from being a Joo Dee for three years, but she was still the only one who had been to the island.

"I was wrong before," she said in a distant tone, speaking more to herself. "I thought there were many spirits that inhabited this island, but now I see it's just the one. It's only ever been the one."

"What?"

She turned to Zuko. "Listen, there's something you need to—"

"Um, guys." Aang's strained voice drifted to them from the other side of the pool. "You'd better look at this."

Zuko and Shizue exchanged a glance before hurrying to join everyone at the edge of the water. Zuko wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it wasn't to find a human skull nestled between the white flowers. There were more bones at the bottom of the pool as well—too many to belong to one person. Some were big while others looked like they might have belonged to a child.

Katara stepped back, bumping into Zuko's chest. Her hand found his and squeezed hard. He returned the grip almost convulsively.

"Aang." Sokka's voice cracked. "You definitely can't do any Avatar, mystical mumbo jumbo, right?"

The younger boy shook his head, shoulders slumped.

Sokka audibly gulped. "Great. That's no problem at all."

An uneasy pause.

"I don't think we should stay here," Hakoda said, then began to pull the two boys away from the pool. "Come on!"

Shizue remained still. "It doesn't matter where you go. The spirit will find you."

Hakoda glanced over his shoulder at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you realised yet?" She gestured around the clearing. "The island is the spirit. It's in every rock, every leaf, every flower petal. It's everywhere."

A chill crept down Zuko's spine. That did make sense. The strange hallucinations, the way the passages had changed to work against them, the way the spirit's voice had echoed from nowhere and everywhere. The island had been their opponent the entire time.

"But that means it's watching us now," Katara said, pressing right up against Zuko's side. A tremor crept into her voice. "Why? Why is it just watching us? What does it even want?"

"I think it's pretty clear from all those bones," Sokka retorted. "It's going to kill us and hide our corpses somewhere in its creepy garden!"

Aang's brow furrowed. "I dunno. Spirits aren't really like that … I think. I mean, I did meet this one spirit who likes to steal people's faces if they show any emotion, but—"

"Not helping, Aang!"

The younger boy winced. "Right. Sorry."

Zuko forced his panic down and turned to Shizue. "You said my mother isn't dead. How do you know for sure? What really happened here three years ago?"

"I told you. The island took her."

More ice slid down his spine. "What does that even mean?"

"See for yourself." Shizue pointed behind him. "She's finally shown herself."

He swallowed, heart thumping against his ribs. Slowly, he turned to see a woman step out from what he'd thought was just a tangle of vines covering the high, rock wall. Her hair was a long mass of knots, petals and leaves. Bruise-like circles shadowed her eyes and her cheekbones seemed on the verge of piercing her skin. Holes covered her black cloak, the fabric even rotting in parts. Still, no matter how wild and thin she looked, he could never forget her face.

"My son." Ursa held out her arms to him. "How long I've dreamt of this moment."


	14. Like Puppets

Zuko didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Little creases appeared on Ursa's brow and the corners of her mouth drooped. "Won't you hug your mother?"

It felt like his heart was a stone sinking down, down, down. "You're not my mother."

"How could you say such a thing? Of course I am. Look at my face, listen to my voice."

His hands balled into fists.

"Come, my son, this is not the time to—"

"Don't," he gritted through clenched teeth.

She raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Don't!" Flames burst from his fists in a hot flare. "You think I don't see what you've done? Give her back! Give my mother back now!"

Ursa smiled, though it wasn't his mother's smile at all. It was sly and didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, you're no fun."

"What's going on?" Katara asked, glancing between the two.

"The woman you see before you is indeed Ursa," Shizue responded, "but not in the way it counts. The spirit has possessed her body."

Katara made a small sound of horror. "What?"

"I like to move around sometimes," the spirit explained. "My form is, shall we say, rather limited. But you humans, you can walk and speak and feel so many sensations. It's wonderful. Possessing your bodies helps me to experience all of that. It's also gifted me with a whole new understanding of your kind." The amber eyes flickered to Zuko. "Take this woman, for example. If she could speak, she'd tell you to run. She loves you so much; she'd rather stay here forever than let you risk yourself for her, but we both know you're not going to run, are you?"

He gritted his teeth so hard it felt like they'd snap. "No."

The spirit's smile widened. "Of course not, because you still think you can save her."

"We will save her!" Aang declared.

"Oh? And how do you plan to do that? You can't even access your Avatar abilities."

"I—we'll figure out something!"

A soft laugh. "I have a better idea. Surrender to me now and I'll let your friends on the ship go. I'm not so greedy; I don't need all of them. But you six shall stay here with me. Poor Ursa has been so lonely. She's especially missed you, Zuko. All these years she's been thinking about you and—"

He lunged at the spirit with a growl, only to have strong hands pull him back.

"Calm down, son," Hakoda said firmly. "You'll only give her what she wants if you give in to her taunts."

"How can you expect me to—"

"I know, I know. I can't imagine how hard this is for you, but _think_. What will happen if you attack the spirit?"

Zuko's heartbeat stuttered in its rhythm. He'd hurt his mother.

"Spoilsport," the spirit said, shooting a mock frown at Hakoda.

Hakoda did not back down. "What is your name, spirit? Will you at least tell us that?"

"A name? Such things have little meaning to me. I am what I am." She tapped her finger to her chin. "Though I suppose you can call me Wu Yao. The humans who once lived here called me that."

Aang stepped forward. His cheeks were a bit pale but he held his head high. "Why are you doing this? What have humans ever done to you?"

"Done to me?" She blinked and seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Hei Bai went wild and attacked those villagers because his forests got burnt. Did something like that happen here? Did—"

A tinkling laugh escaped her. "Oh, you really are so human in this form, aren't you? What makes you think I need a special reason to do any of the things I have done?"

"B-but—"

"Spirits are spirits. We have always done as we pleased."

"But what you're doing is wrong!"

"According to what? Your little codes of morality? I existed before humans could even make thought."

Aang actually stamped his foot. "But it's cruel! It's cruel and it hurts people and—" He made a frustrated sound. "You have to see it's wrong to go around using humans as you like! We're not puppets, we're people!"

"Do you think the Ocean Spirit is cruel?"

"I—what?"

She spread her hands. "The ocean will carry a traveller safely one day, but it will drown and snatch away breath the next. Does that make him cruel? Do you feel you must stop him?"

Aang's brow furrowed. "Well, I mean … I, er …" His face reddened. "We're not talking about the Ocean Spirit!"

Wu Yao laughed. "Convincing."

Sokka stepped in, placing his hand on Aang's shoulder. "The point is that the Ocean Spirit doesn't go around stealing people's mothers so he can play walk about. What you're doing is plain evil."

"Evil?" Her eyes glinted. "Tell me, is it evil for humans to use the flora and fauna of the world as you please? Is it not snatching lives for your own comfort and pleasure?"

"The Air Nomads believe in the sanctity of all life," Aang defended. "We don't—"

"So you've never picked a flower before its time?"

"I … well …"

"It's not the same," Sokka argued, quickly coming to the younger boy's rescue. "Humans are different."

"Are you? Why? What makes you so special?" She looked him up and down. "What makes you think you are worth anything more to me than a flower is to you?"

Sokka opened and closed his mouth, finger raised. "That's … that's just …" He turned to the others. "Guys? A little help here."

"There's no point."

Everyone glanced at Zuko.

"I'm not going to debate philosophy with you, Wu Yao," Zuko continued. "I don't care if you view humans as puppets you can play with. I don't even care if you think what you're doing is justified." He raised his chin, fire simmering in his eyes. "You have my mother. You've had her for three years, and now I've come to take her back."

Wu Yao's lips curved upwards. "Such a passionate declaration. But I think you're forgetting something." She clicked her fingers and suddenly rock heaved up from the ground and encased Hakoda from head to foot.

"Dad!"

Katara and Sokka rushed to their father and pounded on the rock shell. Aang tried earthbending, but the rock didn't budge.

"Let him go!" Katara snarled, rounding on the spirit. Water surged to her fingers, swelling with vicious intent.

"Go ahead, little girl," Wu Yao taunted. "Attack me. Rip this body to shreds if you like. Let's see how Prince Zuko feels about you then."

Blotches of colour stained her cheeks and her form faltered a little, water splashing to the ground. Wu Yao just laughed.

"Stop this!" Aang yelled, even as he struggled and failed to earthbend. Only little bits of rock crumbled off. "He's going to suffocate!"

"Eventually, yes. You humans are such funny, fragile things. Can't even survive without air for too long."

Sokka let out a wild cry and threw his boomerang. She caught it inches from her face, lips curving even wider. Then she crushed the boomerang with a single squeeze. Bits of the weapon crumbled and fell from her closed fist like raining dust. An odd, stuttering sound escaped Sokka.

"You should have surrendered to me when you had the chance." Her eyes glinted with otherworldly power. "Now you will all be trapped here."

"Sokka, move!" Shizue ordered.

Too late. He'd barely taken a step before rock swallowed him up like the snapping jaws of a monster.

"Sokka!"

The cry came from all of them, raw and desperate. Zuko's heart pounded and pounded and pounded. He glanced at the broken boomerang and then back to the mounds of rock that now entrapped Sokka and Hakoda. Fire hummed to life under his skin. So much anger, so much fear.

But it was water that latched onto the spirit's wrists like chains.

"Let my family go!" Katara shouted.

"Or you'll do what?" Wu Yao broke through the water as if it was nothing. "This human form I have taken is filled with my power. You are no match for me, girl."

The earth rose up, but Katara flipped back to avoid the trap. She bared her teeth, eyes bright with unshed tears. "You won't get me with the same trick!" Then she stretched her arm out as if to seize the water from the pool. It didn't move. "Wh-what? Why won't it—"

Wu Yao's laughter ran out like tinkling chimes. "Oh, little girl, that water won't listen to you." Her voice became silk and the smothering darkness of night. "It is a part of me."

The spirit moved her arms swiftly and the pool weaved up like a dragon, lunging for Katara with a gurgling rush.

"No!" Zuko tackled Katara out of the way. Fresh grazes scratched his back as they skidded to a stop.

"Look out!" Aang cried.

The water had looped back. Katara scrambled to her feet, even as Zuko flipped into a flaming kick that should have sliced a path for them to run through. The flames barely made a dent. Steam hissed and the water kept coming. His eyes widened in panic.

In a blur of orange, Aang planted himself in front of them and thrust out his hand. Wind blasted from his palm in a huge gust—strong enough to make every tree bend and the flowers shed their crowns in a flurry of white petals. Water splashed and scattered everywhere.

"Phew," Aang sighed. "That was close. I don't think we want to know what happens if the water gets you."

"No kidding," Zuko muttered. He hadn't forgotten the bones they'd seen at the bottom of the pool.

Wu Yao's laughter once more rang out. "Oh, well done, Avatar. It seems you do have a bit of fight in you. Too bad it won't be enough."

The earth lurched under their feet. Aang yelped and airbent the three of them away to land at Shizue's side. All four took up a fighting stance, though there was nothing but twisted resignation in Shizue's expression.

"You do realise that Wu Yao is right," Shizue said bluntly. "We can't beat her. She controls everything on the island. She's just toying with us."

"We have to beat her!" Katara retorted. "Who knows how much longer Dad and Sokka have? Plus, everyone on the ship is counting on us!"

Aang's voice was small with worry. "Do you think they're all okay out there? Wu Yao said she would only let them go if we surrendered, but …"

_"Do not worry for your companions."_

The voice was soft and had Zuko glancing around in surprise; it seemed to have come from within his mind, yet the others looked just as startled. Had they all heard it?

"Yue?" Katara breathed in wonder. "Is that you?"

Silvery light descended from the sky and formed a shield around them, blinding Wu Yao from view.

_"There isn't much time. My light will protect your companions, but you must find a way to win your freedom. Destiny has chosen you to restore the balance. You cannot let yourselves be trapped here."_

"But how?" Aang demanded. "How are we supposed to stop her when she's so powerful?"

_"Do not be deceived by strength and miss what is in front of you."_

"What?"

_"Be swift. My power wanes with the night."_

The shield of light vanished. Zuko blinked and found himself meeting Wu Yao's gaze. There was no smile on her lips now.

"It seems the Moon Spirit insists on interfering tonight," Wu Yao said coolly. "But even if she is shielding your companions from my nightmares, do not look for her assistance here. This is the heart of my power. In this place, you are at my mercy!"

She thrust her hands out and the earth moved in violent swells, threatening to enclose and crush and drag down into gaping maws. Zuko and the others did their best to avoid the traps. Every second was a blur. His heart was a wild drum in his chest and his lungs were already beginning to protest. He wouldn't be able to keep this up forever, and he doubted the other three would either.

"We have to figure out Wu Yao's weakness," Katara said, jumping onto a rock to avoid the pit that opened up under her feet. "We'll get nowhere like this!"

Aang blasted back the vines that came for his limbs. "Yeah, but how? We can't even—"

"The water!" Shizue cried.

They all scattered as a massive hand of water merged from the puddles and lunged at them. Zuko found himself hiding with Shizue behind a tree, though both hesitated to go for the attack.

"What's the matter?" Wu Yao taunted from where she still stood near the hanging vines. "I thought you were going to stop me? Or have you finally realised that surrendering is your best option?"

Something clenched in Zuko's heart. "Shizue," he said quietly, "I know her weakness."

"What?"

"You do too, right?"

Shizue looked down. "Your mother."

"I want to save Mum, but the spirit isn't going to let her go." He swallowed. "And I don't think we'll be saving anyone if we don't take her down now."

"Then what do you suggest?"

He looked at the spirit, or rather the woman who had given birth to him and sacrificed so much to keep him safe. "She's been using long-range attacks this whole time. Maybe that means she's not good at close combat."

"I'm not so sure about that. Remember what happened with the boomerang? Her strength is not that of an ordinary human."

"That doesn't mean she can fight in close range. All we have to do is make sure we don't get hit."

Shizue pursed her lips as if weighing the risk. "Fine, but that still leaves us with the problem of getting close to her."

"We can do it if we time our attacks right."

A pause. "You know your mother is the one who will get hurt."

His heart clenched again. "I know, but we can't keep holding back. I think this is the only way. Besides, you're a chi blocker. Maybe we can just disable her."

Shizue let out a breath. "It's worth a try."

"Then I'll provide a distraction."

"Zuko." She grabbed his arm.

"What?"

"Your mother would be proud of you. I just thought you should know in case…"

A lump formed in his throat. "When you see your chance, go for it."

She nodded and released him.

Zuko dashed out from behind the tree, punching and kicking flames in a rapid string of blows. Wu Yao's eyes widened and she quickly raised a barrier of earth. Not fast enough. Her sharp cry told him that one of the fireballs had made contact. Zuko gritted his teeth even as something wet stung his eyes. "Aang, Katara, help me!" he yelled.

"But that's your—"

"Just do it!"

Now there were blasts of wind and lashing water whips joining with his flames. The three of them worked together, coming from all sides as they dodged counterattacks, moving closer and closer.

Wu Yao laughed. "You surprise me, Prince Zuko. I did not think you had it in you to hurt your mother. Do you not love her after all?"

"Shut up!"

He swept into a triple kick that sent arcs of flames at the spirit. She met his gaze and her lips curved, lightning-quick. No shield of earth rose to deflect, no barrier of any kind.

Horror stabbed his heart.

He frantically tried to seize hold of the fire, but it was too late. He knew that even as he began to divert the wild streams of heat. Water rushed to meet the fire that slipped his grasp. Steam hissed and the flames and liquid dissipated to nothing. Katara glanced at him, hands still raised in a bending stance. Both teens exhaled shakily.

"I knew it." Wu Yao's smile widened. "You just can't bring yourselves to kill this puppet."

Zuko growled and charged for her, flames trailing from his fingertips. That was when Shizue dropped down from the vines behind Wu Yao. In a flash, the spirit spun and grabbed Shizue's wrist before her fist could make contact, then punched her hard in the chest. It all happened so fast, a mere heartbeat. Bones cracked and a scream tore from Shizue's lips as she was flung back like a ragdoll. Her body struck the wall, crumpling in a heap.

"No!" Zuko cried.

Wu Yao turned back to face them. "Did you really think I would fall for such a trick? I am the island, and the island is me. I can sense your every movement like insects crawling on my skin. It is futile to resist!" She extended her hand. "Now, come!"

Rock closed around Zuko's legs like fingers and dragged him forward, even as Katara and Aang screamed his name. He struggled and twisted, but the rock just kept crawling its way up his body, pinning his arms in place. All the breath caught in his throat as he found himself inches from his mother's face. Blood thundered in his ears. Dimly, he was aware of Aang and Katara fighting a mass of vines to get close.

"I can taste your despair," Wu Yao cooed, trailing her finger along his cheek. "How delicious it is."

He swallowed against the lump in his throat.

"But don't worry, little prince. You can be with Mother every day now. And soon Azula will be here as well. You'll all be together again." She took his chin in a bruising grip, teeth flashing in a smile. "Won't that be nice?"

"Let him go!"

They both turned their heads to see Katara standing beneath the light of the full moon, her eyes narrowed. Aang blasted the last of the vines away with a gust of wind.

Wu Yao arched one eyebrow. "Little girl, I grow weary of your useless demands. What do you even hope to achieve now? You've run out of water and—"

Katara raised her arms in a sharp motion, fingers curling into claws. A choked sound escaped the spirit and her amber eyes bulged with an emotion that might have been shock.

"I said," Katara gritted out, every word sharp like a blade and perfectly enunciated, "let him go!"

She wrenched her hand back and Wu Yao's hand came away from Zuko's chin. A second sharp motion had the spirit lurching back from him completely, movements stiff and unnatural, almost grotesque.

"Wh-what is this?" Wu Yao hissed.

Katara's expression was colder than ice. Her hands continued to weave around her in a way that Zuko had never seen before: a twisted sort of fluidity with fingers that tugged and curled as if pulling on invisible strings. There was not even a hint of water. Then she brought her hands down and the spirit's spine curved with the motion, forcing Wu Yao into a mockery of a bow.

His heart stuttered. Katara was bending the spirit.

"Ka-Katara?" Aang said, looking at her with round eyes.

She kept her gaze fixed on Wu Yao and her fingers curled even more. A split-second later, the rock shattered around Zuko, Hakoda and Sokka. The two Water Tribe men collapsed on the ground, unmoving.

"Aang, check that they're okay!" Katara ordered.

The boy obeyed her without question, informing that both were breathing but unconscious. Shizue was in much worse condition, as Zuko discovered when he crouched to examine her. Her face was bloodless and her breathing sounded wrong, all rattles and sharp wheezes. A few gentle touches told him that several of her ribs had been broken. He'd bet every piece of gold back in the royal vaults that she'd punctured something.

"Stay with me," he murmured, grabbing her hand. He glanced over his shoulder. "Katara, whatever you plan on doing, do it fast! I can't heal Shizue on my own!"

"Understood." Katara approached the spirit, still pinning her down with that strange, waterless form of bending. "Give us back Zuko's mum. Do it now!"

An ugly smile split the spirit's lips. "Or you'll do what? Stop this puppet's heart? Go ahead. It makes no difference to me."

Katara forced the spirit down even lower until she was in full kowtow. "I think it will. I think all these taunts have been a way to throw us off from the truth: that you're completely vulnerable in that body."

A soft laugh. "Yet you still hesitate."

"Oh, I'm not hesitating." She wrenched Wu Yao back to her feet. "Your life and your power are tied to this island. I wonder what will happen if we take Zuko's mum away from it…"

"I am an eternal spirit. You cannot defeat me."

"Maybe not, but then I've seen a spirit die before, and right now your so-called puppet is in my control. Are you sure you want to risk it?"

They glared at each other for a tense moment. Zuko could only watch, heart thudding against his ribs. This was all on Katara now.

Suddenly, Wu Yao let out laugh. "The Moon Spirit chooses her warriors well, I see. I admit I never anticipated that she could gift you such strength."

Katara remained firm, not releasing her hold for a moment.

"Very well, human. I will allow you to have this woman back." A flicker of a smile. "But that doesn't mean any of you will leave."

Ursa's eyes rolled up into her head and her body collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Katara caught her with a grunt.

A hush of silence, a fluttering stutter of heartbeats.

"Katara," Aang said, staring at her with wide eyes, "how in the world did you—"

"Not now, Aang." Her mouth twisted and she turned her face the other way. "Let's just—"

There was a deep rumbling and the ground began to tremble and shake.

"Uh-oh," Aang said in alarm. "We better get out of here."

Katara staggered and stumbled to her knees, dragging Ursa with her. "How? We can't carry everyone!" She yelped as a huge crack formed in the ground near her foot.

Zuko scooped Shizue into his arms. Moving her was far from the best option with her injuries, but better that than to be swallowed by the juddering earth. "We don't have a choice! Wu Yao will trap us all here if we don't hurry!"

"I can barely stand! The earthquake is too strong!"

Katara had a point. The violent jolts and sways threatened to sweep Zuko off his feet with every second, and it was only getting worse. Rocks split from the high walls and crashed to the ground as if wrenched by invisible hands. Trees groaned and swayed, threatening to topple. The little group of six would have been crushed like insects were it not for Aang's air blasts and shields.

"Wait!" Aang reached into his tunic. "We can get Appa to fly us back to the ship!"

He'd barely touched the whistle when everything went still. The earth stopped rumbling, the ground and trees stopped swaying. There was only a whisper of air like a sigh.

"Huh?" Aang blinked a few times. "What's going on?"

A man with rather bland features walked through the entrance to the clearing, flanked by Ty Lee and a tall woman. Azula was also there, though Zuko's eyes narrowed when he noticed her hands were cuffed. The sight caused a strange mixture of relief and guilt to stir within him. She hadn't been lying about Shen.

"The spirit sleeps, Avatar," Shen said calmly.

"Wait, you did this?" Aang exclaimed. "How?"

"Once the ancient one is separated from her human host, it is not so difficult to soothe her by tapping into the energy that connects us all. It certainly should have been easy for you." His eyes scanned the boy up and down. "Though it seems you are not quite the Avatar you should be."

Aang lowered his head.

"I could teach you how to regain what you have lost," Shen offered.

"Wh-what? You mean there's still a—"

"But my assistance comes at a price." Pale gold eyes shifted to Zuko. "What do you say, young prince? Will you surrender yourself to me to help the Avatar fulfil his destiny?"

Zuko's jaw clenched.

Katara shifted into a bending stance. "Like we'd trust you!"

Azula made an odd sound. Katara's movement had exposed Ursa's face to full view. Prostrate and thin as their mother was, not to mention dressed in a hole-ridden, rotting cloak with bits of twigs and leaves stuck all over her, Ursa looked more like a corpse they'd found than a living person. "Mother!"

"Stay back!" Hina shoved Azula hard. "You are not to move or speak unless we say so."

Zuko met Azula's eyes. It was like looking into the face of the sister he had known as a child, the one who had curled up with him during thunderstorms before she'd erased any trace of vulnerability in herself. She looked young and shaken, even though he could see how hard she was trying to plaster composure onto her face.

He swallowed. "Mum's okay, Azula."

Her eyes widened a fraction.

"She's okay," he repeated. "She's alive."

"Touching," Shen said before Azula could respond. "But I'm still waiting for your answer, Prince Zuko. Will you surrender? Or do we have to do this the hard way?" Flames flickered to life above his palm. "Keep in mind that you are already exhausted and four of your companions cannot defend themselves, including your mother." He glanced at the broken woman in Zuko's arms. "Shizue needs to be healed fast as well. I could help with that."

Zuko's pulse throbbed uncomfortably in his throat.

"Don't do it!" Katara burst out. "This guy tried to kill his own brother, and for what? Because Yuzo ran away with Atsuo?"

"Yuzo didn't know when to back down," Shen said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "He didn't give me a choice. Don't make the same mistake as him. No more lives have to be lost this night."

"Listen to him," Hina urged. "You cannot win this fight."

Zuko glanced at the people gathered—the ones left standing and those who had fallen. His gaze drifted to Shizue. She coughed blood and her eyes were a haze of unawareness. If they didn't start healing her soon, she would die.

"You must think I'm an idiot," he muttered. "Shizue told me that Silencers were created to protect fire healers and maintain secrecy. But if a fire healer puts that secrecy at risk, you'll kill them and anyone else who has been exposed to the truth." He looked up at Shen. "It doesn't matter what I do. You weren't planning to let any of us go anyway."

"Now that's where you're wrong. I have no intention of killing you." Shen allowed his flames to expand. "But I will prise you from the corpses of all those who stand in my way if I have to."

Katara moved to stand more guardedly over Ursa. Aang did the same for Hakoda and Sokka.

"One last chance," Shen said. "Surrender and I will assist the Avatar and help to heal Shizue just as promised. Or you can fight me and watch everyone you care about die."

"You think we'll be that easy to beat?" Katara retorted. "There's a full moon tonight! You know what that means for a waterbender?"

"Child, you're scraping at every last drop of energy you have just to stand on your feet."

She stiffened and tried to look unaffected, but Zuko knew it was true. Whatever she had done to force the spirit out of his mother's body, it had also taken its toll on her. Never mind all the fighting and evading they'd all put up with while Wu Yao had toyed with them. Even Aang looked ready to collapse.

"Why?" Zuko found himself asking. "Why me? Why do any of this if you don't even care about maintaining secrecy?"

"Because you are the key." Shen stepped forward, making them all twitch like coiled springs put under too much tension. "You have no idea how long I've waited for another to be born. Even better, you're the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne. You're perfect."

"What are you talking about?" Katara demanded. "The key to what?"

"The key to liberation. I will create a world where fire healers no longer have to hide."

All the breath caught in Zuko's throat. "That's your goal? That's what all this is about?"

Shen let the flames die out and extended his hand. "Help me, Prince Zuko. Help me restore balance and justice to this world. The time is right. This is your destiny!"

"Don't listen to him!" Katara swung to face Zuko. "Shen has to be lying! He's never cared about fire healers having freedom, otherwise why would he have hunted down Yuzo and Atsuo like that?"

"Yuzo is a fool," Shen said flatly. "He wanted to be free, yes, but he also wanted to expose the tribe to get revenge for what happened to his mother. Don't make the mistake of plastering good intentions on that boy. He is selfish and bitter and he would have ruined everything. Hina and I had no choice but stop him."

"It's true," Hina said. "Yuzo wanted to bring down the Silencers. He didn't care how he achieved it."

Zuko swallowed, chest tightening. That, unfortunately, did make a lot of sense. He remembered the deep anger he had often glimpsed in Yuzo's eyes whenever the other boy spoke of Silencers or his dead mother. Yuzo had even sympathised with the Unnamed One, hinting he thought it poetic how she had used her bending to enslave those who had first enslaved her.

"Dum-dum," Azula said out of the blue.

He blinked and glanced at his sister.

"Do you know why I hurt you so much when we were little?"

His brow creased.

"It's because you made it too easy. You always fell for my traps." Her eyes met his intently. "Sometimes you just have to run from the monster, you know."

Hina frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about, girl?"

Azula didn't break eye contact. Instead, she gestured with her head ever so subtly towards Aang. No, the whistle in his hand.

Zuko exhaled. "Aang! Whistle!"

Aang blew without question. At the same time, Azula sprang into action, kicking powerful blasts of fire that knocked Hina off her feet and burgeoned in massive waves of blue to engulf Shen. Golden fire glimmered in a shield, but she was already coming at him again, hammering over and over. It was a testament to her skill that, even without the use of her hands, she was still swift and dangerous.

"Ty Lee!" Azula yelled. "What are you just standing there for? This is our chance!"

The acrobat continued to stand there, gaze darting from the princess to Shen, even as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Ty Lee!"

"I-I can't." Panic made Ty Lee's voice pitch higher. "I can't fight!"

Azula made a frustrated sound and continued to bend. Katara moved to help but collapsed to her knees next to Ursa. Her energy was spent. It was left to Aang to take on Hina while Zuko placed Shizue next to his mother and went to fight alongside Azula. He knew a warning when he heard one. If Azula thought running was the best option and was even willing to put herself at risk to provide an escape, he wasn't going to turn his back on her.

"Enough!" Shen yelled.

Both Zuko and Azula's flames were quenched to fading ripples. The siblings moved closer together, eyes narrowed in identical expressions of determination.

"I have waited too long to let this boy slip through my grasp!"

Shen thrust a fireball at Azula, though Zuko quickly shielded her—and got blasted several feet backwards, taking his sister with him. It felt like he'd just tried to block twenty fireballs at once.

"That furry beast better hurry up," Azula muttered, flipping back to her feet. "This guy hits harder than Dad."

Zuko groaned and got up from the ground much less gracefully. "How is he so strong?"

"I don't know, but we can't beat him like this. We have to get away from here."

He grunted in agreement and glanced up at the sky—still empty of flying bisons—then over to where Katara crouched by Ursa and Shizue. Aang was fighting not far from her, making sure Hina didn't get close to any of them, including Hakoda and Sokka. The airbender suddenly let out a yelp and one of his arms went limp; Hina had managed to chi block it.

"We have to help Aang," Zuko said, turning to run.

Golden flames struck the ground near his feet. "You won't be going anywhere, boy."

Zuko glared at Shen.

"It's a pity it has to be this way," Shen continued. "This would have been so much easier on you if you'd just cooperated. Now I'll have to break you piece by piece."

A low rumble came from the sky and a shadow passed overhead.

"Appa!" Aang cried joyously.

Shen's eyes glinted. Without warning, he raised his fist above his head and let flames burst forth.

Something heavy plummeted in Zuko's stomach. He reached up as if to grasp the flames, but there was too much and the blast was too powerful. Fire struck. The sound Appa made was all wrong—not a roar but a sharp, keening thing that pierced straight to the heart. Aang screamed something, and that was just another nail to the chest. There was so much raw distress in that cry. Then Appa's big body fell, crashing heavily against the ground.

"No," Zuko said, but where Aang had screamed, the prince's voice was so, so soft, as if saying the word louder would only make this nightmare more real. His eyes prickled and burned. How could they have let this happen? How could they have let Appa get hurt?

"Move, idiot!"

Azula kicked him—just in time. He staggered back even as Shen surged to grab him. Then they were fighting again. Zuko did his best to focus, knowing his life depended on it, but it was hard when Appa had a huge, smoking wound on his belly, Aang had got fully chi blocked during his distraction, and Katara was back on her feet and already losing to Hina.

Wu Yao had been right. None of them were going to leave here. Not like this anyway.

"Alright, stop!" Zuko yelled.

Everyone paused, even Shen and Hina.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Azula hissed.

Zuko swallowed. His heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might burst right through his ribs. "I surrender."

"What?" Azula rounded on him. "Did my warning mean nothing to you? This is what he wants! You're just walking into his trap!"

"I know, but—"

"You can't!" Katara shook her head, half slumped on her knees while Hina gripped her arms. Aang was crying not far from her. "Zuko, you can't go with him!"

"I have to. This is the only way."

"No!" Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Don't do this. Please, please don't. We can find another way!"

He wished he could have hugged her then and wiped her tears. He wished he could have hugged Aang as well and healed the wound right off Appa's belly, then flown them all away. He wished he could have spoken to his mother at least once, could have seen her smile and laugh without a malicious spirit possessing her. He wished for a thousand things.

Zuko turned to Shen. "I'm ready. I won't fight you anymore, but you have to let them go. You have to promise you won't hurt them."

"I always keep my word." Shen made a gesture to Hina.

The tall woman released Katara and moved to grab Zuko by the arms instead. "You made the right choice."

Zuko lowered his head.

"Avatar," Shen said, glancing down at the chi-paralysed boy. "A deal is a deal. To regain what you have lost, you will need to heal what has been broken. Go to the Spirit World. There you will find the answers you seek."

Without another word, Shen turned and headed for the exit. Hina nudged Zuko into moving. He allowed her to steer him off, even as Katara and Aang called his name, pleading for him to stop, to not let them take him away. He didn't dare look back at them. His heart ached enough just listening. At the rear, Ty Lee trailed like a loyal pet, which was a surprise. Zuko didn't understand why she followed.

Azula suddenly let out a snarl and kicked a massive wave of flames at their backs. A blade of air sliced right through the fire, parting it into two fading walls of sapphire. Ty Lee now stood facing Azula with her palm outstretched.

"Wh-what?" Azula looked as if she'd been slapped in the face. "You … you just …"

Shen's hand came down on Ty Lee's shoulder. "Come, Little Rainbow. Take us back to the boat."

She nodded and told them to hold onto her. Then she weaved the wind around them and they were speeding far, far away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you all get too upset, let me declare here and now that Appa is not dead. Badly injured? Yes. Dead? Big nope.
> 
> Buttttt, everything has kind of gone, well, crap to say the least. I'm sorry about that. I wish I could give you sunshine and happy reunions and all the fluff, but where we're at in the story calls for drama. All the drama.
> 
> Uh … Happy Holidays?


	15. Heart and Sorrow

Dawn came in streaks of bloody red. Katara stood near the bow, swallowing against the lump in her throat as the ship sailed for the horizon. That cursed lump wouldn't go away. It choked and burned and made her head ache and her eyes prickle. Even her heart seemed more like a stone weighing down her chest.

Four of her tribesmen were dead.

So many others had barely pulled through.

Zuko was gone.

She gripped the metal railing, gritting her teeth. Everything had gone so wrong on the island. Even when Atsuo had come to the clearing with Yuzo and the others, fulfilling a final order from Shen to heal Shizue, she had felt only anger. It curled through her like poisonous smoke, filling her lungs and seeping into her blood. Shen seemed to think that keeping his end of the bargain made everything all better; he seemed to think it meant he was allowed to keep Zuko and that no one was allowed to be upset or come after them.

But she wanted to go after them. She would have jumped on Appa right now and flown to Shen's boat to take Zuko back if she could, but the bison was too injured to fly. Shen had made sure of that.

"Katara."

She turned to see Sokka—still a bit wobbly on his feet but moving around at last. His eyes had the same strained look as hers, a brittle sort of shield to hold back everything threatening to spill out.

"We're gonna start preparing for the funeral rites," he said. "Dad wanted to know if you'd …"

"I'll do the cleansing." She glanced back at the sunrise. "Just give me a moment."

"Sure."

She inhaled a deep breath, once more tightening her grip on the railing. This really wasn't the time to let her emotions get the best of her. So much needed to be dealt with. A part of her still felt guilty for abandoning Aang. He'd just discovered there was another airbender out there, he'd almost lost Appa, he blamed himself for what had happened on the island, but trying to be his rock of strength when her own heart wanted to scream and cry had been all too much. It had only reminded her that, for some time now, Zuko had been the one at her side to share these burdens, to be that rock with her.

But he was gone.

Zuko was _gone_.

"Keep it together," she whispered.

Raised voices came from farther down the deck. Katara turned and met her brother's gaze. Both their brows wrinkled in confusion before they went to investigate, steps swift. They found Yuzo and Suki standing protectively in front of Atsuo. The boy had fallen unconscious straight after healing Shizue in the spirit's clearing, but it seemed he had woken up at last. It also seemed that some of the warriors were not too happy to see him walking around.

"That boy killed our brothers!" Nanouk, one of the bigger warriors, shouted as he jabbed his finger at Atsuo. "He almost stabbed me with his sword!"

Atsuo cringed into himself like a mouse-snail seeking its shell. Even if he couldn't hear the words being said, the angry pointing and expressions must have told him enough.

"I told you that wasn't him!" Yuzo yelled. "He was being controlled by Shen and—"

"Nice excuse," another warrior spat. "How do you know he's not waiting to finish the job? He could be planning to stick us all in our sleep and—"

"Hey!" Suki cut in sharply. "That's enough!"

"Stay out of this, girl," Nanouk retorted.

" _Girl_?" Suki stepped towards him. "Listen here, you big—"

"Oh boy," Sokka muttered.

He rushed to diffuse the situation before any more tempers could be set off. Suki looked like she wanted to give Sokka an earful for interrupting, but she was also reasonable and understood the warriors were grieving, so she allowed the "girl" issue to slide. Too bad Nanouk wasn't quite as gracious.

"You'd best control your woman more," Nanouk said, throwing a dark look at Suki.

Sokka winced. This time he didn't bother to save the warrior from Suki's ire. Nanouk really had brought it on himself.

Once Suki had finished reducing Nanouk to a gaping statue, she rounded on the other warriors and told them that if they had a problem with Atsuo, they could take it up with her. "Just try and lay a hand on him," she challenged. "I dare you."

Behind her, Yuzo was doing some quick translating. Atsuo's frown deepened and then he tapped her on the shoulder. He signed something, and as his hands moved to shape words, Yuzo gave them voice.

"I don't blame anyone for not wanting me around," Yuzo said, though his mouth twisted as if he didn't like what he was translating. "I—"

Atsuo repeated the gestures again, staring pointedly at his boyfriend. Say it, his eyes insisted.

"—I did attack you and kill your friends. I'm sorry. I know it doesn't help, but I'm so sorry. I'd give my life right now if it meant I could return them to you."

Atsuo looked at the warriors solemnly. There was no guile, no attempt to defend himself. He accepted what he had done while under Shen's control and it was clear he loathed himself for it.

"Don't blame yourself, kid."

It was Amaruq who had spoken, one of the warriors closer to Katara's dad's age. He'd been there with Suki and the others when they'd found Atsuo and brought him back to the ship. Maybe that was why Amaruq had more sympathy than the others.

"I saw for myself that you didn't want to hurt anyone," Amaruq continued. He frowned at his fellow warriors, including Nanouk. "And they know it as well. They just want to vent their anger on someone."

Atsuo shook his head, hands moving in a flurry.

"But it is my fault," Yuzo translated. "If I wasn't so weak, Shen wouldn't have been able to control me."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

Knowing the full extent of Shen's abilities had become crucial for her since Zuko had been taken. Her biggest nightmare was that the next time she saw the prince—and she had to believe that she would—he would have become a murdering puppet just like Atsuo had while under Shen's thrall.

"He can't do anything if you don't let him in," Yuzo translated, watching Atsuo's hands carefully. "But his willpower is so strong. It's overwhelming. I couldn't keep him out no matter how much I tried. I'm sorry."

Atsuo's shoulders slumped and his hands stilled.

Yuzo signed something back to him, but Atsuo just shook his head.

"Did you know your half-brother had this kind of ability?" Sokka asked.

"I had no idea," Yuzo said, still frowning at his boyfriend. "That's one of the forbidden skills the Unnamed One used. No one gets taught that technique in the tribe. Honestly, I didn't think anyone even knew how to perform it."

"Then Shen must have figured it out on his own somehow," Katara observed.

That wasn't very comforting. Just how skilled and powerful was this guy?

Nanouk folded his arms across his broad chest. "I think the question we should really be asking is if we can even trust this kid. Maybe he didn't want to hurt anyone, but the fact is he did. Who's to say this Shen guy won't start controlling him again?"

"You don't have to worry," Yuzo said. "Shen severed his bond with Atsuo."

Katara's eyes widened. "I thought you said that wasn't possible."

"I didn't think it was, but it seems it all comes down to what kind of bond you actually have with a person."

"Huh?" Sokka's brow furrowed. "You mean there's more than one kind?"

"There are two kinds of bonds: the one created through giving up a large portion of your own chi to heal someone, or the one you create yourself through a fusion of energy."

Katara's hand found its way to her heart. "Like the difference between the bond I have with Zuko and the one Aang has."

"Right. The one you have with him, that's the kind that can be severed. It's not grounded through sacrifice and healing, it's just a connection of energy. My own bond with Atsuo was the same. Atsuo figured out how to severe it when Shen caught up with him in Ba Sing Se. That idiot didn't want me to come after him and get hurt again. Seemed to think it was his turn to protect me." Yuzo shot a fond but exasperated look at his boyfriend.

Atsuo pulled a face and signed something that looked rather sassy. Perhaps he'd guessed what Yuzo had said.

"Why did Shen cut the bond?" Sokka mused. "Wouldn't it have made more sense to keep the link just in case?"

"To us maybe, but not to Shen."

Atsuo's expression turned grim as his hands weaved words. He explained that Shen had barely talked to him during their time together—just used him to boost his own bending and replenish chi most of the time. But Shen's goal had always been very clear: he'd been looking for a particular fire healer. That person, as they all now knew, was Prince Zuko.

"Shen let me go because I'm not worth anything to him now, and neither are any of you," Yuzo translated. "That monster has what he wanted. To him, he's already won."

Katara's nails dug into her palms. "No. I'm going to get Zuko back."

She didn't wait for a response and stomped for the hold, intending to demand that Azula locate Zuko right then and there. Katara would use waterbending to catch up to Shen's boat if she had to. There was no way she was going to allow Zuko to stay with that creep any longer.

"Katara!" Sokka tugged on her arm.

"Let go!"

"Not until you calm down!"

She opened her mouth to retort, only to blink. The ocean was lurching and roiling all around them, waves spraying against the deck. "Oh."

Sokka released her. "I know you're upset. I want Zuko back as well, but we have to be smart about this. You can't just go rushing off on some crazy rescue mission."

"But—"

"Sis." He gripped her shoulders, meeting her gaze. "You're exhausted. I heard what you did to that spirit and—"

She flinched, remembering the feel of blood and a pulsing heart bend to her touch.

"—you spent half the night healing the injured. You need to rest."

The burning prickle was back in her eyes. "How can you expect me to rest when Zuko needs us now?"

"Because running off without a plan isn't going to save him."

"Then you come up with a plan! You're supposed to be the Plan Guy, right?"

"Katara …"

"We'll talk to Azula. We'll get his location from her, and then we can—"

"Katara, stop."

She glared at him, chin quivering a little. "He needs us, Sokka. That creep could be trying to force Zuko under his control right now!"

"We'll get him back, I promise. But not like this. Look around you." He gestured at the people on the deck—the tired, the injured, the grieving. Aang was near the stern, still huddled with Momo and Appa. "You can't ask any more from them right now. Let them rest. Let yourself rest."

Tears that hadn't wanted to fall before now slipped easily down her cheeks. Wordlessly, he pulled her into his arms. Her body seemed to sink into the embrace, tension releasing bit by bit as she burrowed her face into his shoulder.

"I hate not knowing what's happening to him," she confessed into his tunic.

"Zuko is a tough guy. He'll be okay."

Katara closed her eyes. They stayed that way for a moment until she pulled back, wiping at her face to remove any trace of tears.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Not really, but I can't stand here and cry forever either." She forced a smile. "Don't worry about me. I won't go off on any crazy rescue missions. Promise."

"Try not to capsize the boat either."

"Yeah, yeah."

He squeezed her shoulder, then cast a glance towards the stern. "Honestly, the one I'm really worried about is—Mai?"

Katara followed his gaze and, sure enough, Mai was now standing opposite Aang and appeared to be talking to him.

"I wonder if she'll have any luck getting him out of his depression funk," Sokka mused. "He's blaming himself for everything."

"I know …"

Katara's stomach gave a guilty little stab at just being reminded. She could have tried more to comfort Aang. She shouldn't have left him so soon. He'd looked so lost and small, so crushed.

She bit her lip. "Maybe I should—"

"Leave it. Mai might actually be good for him right now."

"She's not exactly the cuddly type."

"No, but she has her own way of helping."

Katara's eyebrow rose a little. There was a lot of warmth in her brother's voice. Then again, he and Mai were close friends. They'd been through a lot together during the time everyone had got separated in Ba Sing Se.

"I guess I'll leave it then."

She had to help with the funeral rites anyway. It was normally a woman's job to wash the bodies of the dead and style their hair, a tradition that hadn't been upheld for the Southern Water Tribe warriors for a long time since all the fighting had been happening offshore. This would be the first since the raids. Katara needed to focus on those fallen men for now. She owed it to them.

She took one last glance at Aang and Mai before going to find her father. It was time to do her duty.

oOo

"And I just keep thinking if I hadn't lost my connection to my past lives, none of this would have happened. I could have gone into the Avatar State. I could have stopped that spirit way earlier. I could have—"

"Geez, baldy, I just asked if you were hungry."

Aang blinked.

Mai heaved a sigh and looked the other way. "Look, you can sit here and keep feeling sorry for yourself all you like, but at the end of the day, what is that going to achieve?"

"Um …"

"Nothing. You can't change what happened in the past, so let it go."

He frowned. Momo crawled up onto his shoulder and chirruped. He gave the lemur an absent rub to the ears, then glanced behind him at Appa. The bison was sleeping, bandages now wrapped around his wounds. Aang's heart clenched again as he thought of how close he'd come to losing his oldest and dearest friend, of how he _had_ lost Zuko. Albeit, Zuko was alive out there somewhere, but still …

How was he supposed to let it go? He had failed everyone. He had failed Zuko. Avatars were meant to help people and make everything better, not just keep failing over and over.

"Are you hungry or not?"

Aang blinked again and looked at the girl standing opposite him. Or at least her scarred profile; she was still keeping her face averted. Well, she'd always been a little standoffish and prickly. Half the time he couldn't tell if she was being mean to him or if it was just her weird humour. Then again, she'd come over here to give him some vegetarian friendly snacks. That was really, really thoughtful of her. (Most of the people on the ship tended to forget he was vegetarian.)

"I'm kind of—" His stomach gave a loud growl. "Huh. I guess I am hungry."

Mai wordlessly handed him the plate of ocean kumquat rice balls. He started munching on one, half expecting her to leave, but she just leaned against the railing and began twirling one of her thin blades round and round her fingers. It was kind of mesmerising. Before he knew it, he'd finished all the rice balls.

"Thanks," he said, placing the plate down. Momo jumped off his shoulder to pick at the little bits of rice left on the plate. "I actually feel kind of better now."

The spinning knife stilled. A pause, a small exhale. "When I was still with Azula …" She clamped her mouth shut, jaw tightening a fraction.

"What?"

"Forget it."

He sat up straighter. "Hey, you can tell me. We're friends, right?"

She let out another of those big sighs, like speaking to him was the biggest chore in the world. But he didn't take offence. His belly was full and comfortable now, and that was all thanks to her.

"When I was with Azula," she continued in that flat tone of hers, "sometimes things got too much. All the demands, Azula just being Azula. Ty Lee would get this crushed look on her face—a lot like how you've been looking." Mai finally met his gaze. "I used to give her custard buns."

Aang's mouth curved up at the corners, shy but pleased. "Was this your way of trying to cheer me up, Mai?"

"You just reminded me of Ty Lee." She went back to looking off in the other direction. "Don't dwell on it too much."

His smile widened, but then something heavy settled in his chest and his lips quickly drooped. "Um, did you know? That she's an airbender, I mean."

"We all thought she was a non-bender."

He sighed and hugged his knees to his chest. "Can I tell you something?"

"You've already blahed your whole 'I'm the Avatar and I'm such a failure' story at me. Telling me more won't make a difference."

"Um … right. Well, a while back we found this place in the big swamp with these Air Nomad records, and they said all the airbenders lost their bending over time. They just stopped being able to bend air. Even Roku confirmed that I was the last one left. He said there wouldn't be any new airbenders until I restored balance to the world." Aang shook his head. "But I haven't restored balance. I haven't done anything."

"What's your point? You saw Ty Lee bend air. I think it's pretty clear that you're not the only airbender around."

"Right, but that means Roku must have been wrong." Aang clutched his head. "And if he was wrong about this, what if he's wrong about everything else? What if I'm not really destined for anything? I mean, look at the mess I've made so far and—"

"Baldy."

He stilled, glancing at her.

"You're overthinking this."

"Am I?"

Mai muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously unflattering. Or maybe it was self-deprecating; he really couldn't tell when her tone and facial expressions were so hard to read. Still, she moved closer and bent a little to place her hand on his shoulder. "You're the Avatar. The Avatar's destiny never changes."

"But I'm—"

"Just shut up and listen."

He closed his mouth.

"You might feel like a failure now, but that doesn't mean you are one. So instead of thinking about what you've done wrong, start thinking about what you can do to make things right."

His eyes widened.

She released him and picked up the plate, then started to walk away.

"Hey," he called to her back.

Mai paused.

"Why do you think Ty Lee chose to go with Shen?"

She was silent for a long moment. "I'm not sure she did. Ty Lee siding with Azula is one thing, but Shen? I don't buy it."

"Then you think she's being controlled like Atsuo was?"

"Probably." She glanced back at him, and this time there was a glint of visible emotion in her eyes. "And you know what? I'm angry. I'm so angry and frustrated with that idiot. I warned her she would only get hurt if she stuck with Azula, and see what happened: first she got imprisoned and now she's probably being controlled by a guy who might even be more of a monster than Azula."

Aang got to his feet. "So we'll get her back. I mean I was worried before because I thought she might actually be bad like Shen, but if you think she's not, then I wanna rescue her too. I never dreamed I'd get to meet another airbender."

Already, his heart was beginning to feel lighter. He realised some of the weight and ill-feelings squirming inside him were from trying to reconcile having a new airbender around who just wanted to hang with cruel, horrible people. Now it felt like he could be happier about the discovery, like he could actually share his love of the skies and wind with someone who'd be right there at his side.

"We'll have to find them first," Mai pointed out. "There's no trace of their boat."

"Azula knows how to track Zuko through the bond."

Mai's mouth twisted a little.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm not exactly thrilled to have Azula around again."

Aang lowered his gaze to his hands. "She did try to help, you know. I think she actually wanted to protect Zuko." He twiddled his thumbs. "I feel bad that we're keeping her locked up in the hold."

"Azula only cares about herself. Don't make the mistake of thinking she's had a change of heart. You'll just end up regretting it."

His gaze darted to the left side of her face—the puckered, scarred side. The heavy thing in his chest sank a little, gathering like a weight in his belly. He didn't feel so good now.

Mai left him after that. Aang settled back against one of Appa's paws, petting the soft fur. Momo soon crawled onto his lap and curled up in a ball.

"Do you think she's right, Momo?" he murmured. "Do you think we can't trust Azula at all?"

Momo blinked.

Aang sighed and looked up at the sky. Well, Mai was right about one thing: sitting here moping wasn't going to achieve anything. He knew what he had to do. It just sucked to think he'd have to follow Shen's advice to do it.

oOo

The funeral was held and the warriors' bodies weighted and allowed to sink into the ocean. It wasn't the tradition, but there were no snowy plains for a proper burial, so a water grave was better than nothing. At the end of the day, practicality called for getting rid of the bodies before stench and rot could take root.

Sokka detached himself from the group during the singing and sombre celebrations. He climbed up to the crow's nest, wanting to be as close to the sky as possible. There he found the moon—not as full tonight—but no less beautiful. "I heard you saved everyone," he said softly. "Thanks, Yue."

He liked to think she shone a little brighter then. A sad smile curved his lips and he relaxed against the metal barricade, resting his chin on his palm.

"This is some hiding spot."

Sokka jumped and spun around, hand going to his chest. "Geez, Suki. You almost gave me a heart attack."

She laughed and moved to stand at his side. "Sorry. I saw you go off on your own. I can leave if you want."

He almost said yes. Then his stomach wriggled into knots. What was wrong with him? Suki was beautiful and funny and kind. She kicked butt and knew how to put jerks in their place, and she actually liked him and wanted to be his girlfriend. She'd even come here to check up on him. That was a nice thing. That was a good girlfriend thing to do.

So why did his heart only feel heavier?

His gaze drifted back to the moon.

"You always do that," Suki observed after a moment.

"Huh?"

"Stare at the moon."

An ache, deep and piercing, worked its way into his chest. Words he'd never imagined saying snuck onto his tongue, threatening to escape.

Maybe we should break up.

Sokka closed his eyes, swallowing the words back down his throat. He was just being over emotional. It was because Yue had saved them last night, because sometimes he caught himself staring a little too much at Mai, because he was an idiot who couldn't seem to focus on the beautiful, amazing girlfriend he had right in front of him.

Her hand slipped into his and she smiled reassuringly at him. Sokka was already pulling away before he could stop himself.

Creases formed on her brow. "Are you okay?"

"I think … I think I just need to be alone right now."

"Sure." She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. "But if you do want to talk, you know where to find me."

He nodded and watched her climb back down the ladder. Then he just exhaled heavily and slumped against the barricade. "I'm such an idiot."

oOo

The hold was not as small and cramped as the one on Shen's boat, but it was a prison nonetheless. Even so, Azula knelt on the cushion as poised as if she were about to take part in a tea ceremony, her eyes fixed on her uncle. "When can I see my mother?"

"Ursa has not woken yet."

Her chest tightened a little. "Why not?"

"She's been under a spirit's control for three years. Give her time."

Azula forced herself to breathe more steadily. "Fine. Then how long are you planning to keep me in these cuffs?" She raised the metal encasements the best she could with one functioning arm. "It's uncomfortable."

"I'm sure you understand, my niece, why we simply cannot take those cuffs off you."

It was like something jagged scraping against her skin. She didn't want to hear him call her his niece, not when the label felt cheap and hollow. He'd never cared about her. Oh, sure, when she was younger he'd thought her clever and praised her for her talents, but then one day he'd started giving her those looks that whispered "monster" just like everyone else.

Just like now.

She stiffened and averted her face. "Then stop wasting my time and leave me in peace. Maybe then I can actually get some sleep."

"You know why I can't do that either. You're the only one who knows how to track him."

The old cage rattled inside her, hinges busted and broken. Of course. Of course this was still about Zuko.

"I've told you that I haven't been able to make a connection. You think I haven't tried already?" Her mouth twisted. "Besides, that idiot chose to surrender …"

She'd warned him. She'd even fought for him to help buy time for an escape, and he'd just walked right into Shen's hands anyway. Stupid Zuko, so noble and self-sacrificing. So easy to manipulate. He was a hopeless case.

She would have never made the same mistake.

Iroh sighed and stood up from his chair. "I'll bring some food for you."

"Don't bother."

A pause, almost hesitant. Then his footsteps disappeared out the door and the lock clicked into place. Azula awkwardly shifted onto her side, wincing as the arm that still felt sensation protested in throbs and aches with every rub against her cuffs. Her eyes prickled a little, but no tears fell. She wasn't weak, after all. Or at least she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her be.


	16. A Strong Will

_"Look, look! Hinata is wearing girl's clothes!"_

_"Is he wearing makeup?"_

_"What a weirdo."_

_Laughter and mocking words. Tears mixed with the heat spreading on fourteen-year-old Hinata's cheeks, and he ran. He ran and ran and ran, half tripping on the hem of the fine robe as his vision blurred and his chest grew tighter and tighter. He'd been seen, he'd been seen, he'd been seen._

_Eventually, the sound of the other kids' jeers faded. He tripped—on a jutting root this time—and crashed to the ground, knees and hands throbbing in protest. Dirt had collected all over the pretty fabric of the robe he'd borrowed from his mother. A little sob escaped and he huddled into himself, his whole body trembling._

_Soft footsteps and even softer voice. "Hinata?"_

_"Go away, Shen!"_

_A pause. Then a hand came to rest on his back. "I'm sorry."_

_Hinata tensed and his nails dug into his grazed palms. "What have you got to be sorry about?"_

_"The others. They shouldn't have laughed at you."_

_Fresh tears prickled his eyes. "You're just saying that. I bet you think I'm weird as well."_

_"No."_

_Hinata sat up in surprise, scrubbing a hand over his face and no doubt smudging the makeup he'd applied. Shen just held his gaze and smiled nicely, warm and open like he'd always been. There was no judgement in his pale gold eyes, no hint of deception._

_"I already knew," Shen admitted._

_Embarrassment and panic curdled in Hinata's stomach. "You did?"_

_"Yeah. I've seen you a few times. I just didn't say anything because, well, you looked happy. More happier than I've seen you in a long time."_

_Heat crawled up Hinata's cheeks, but there was a deep ache in his chest as well. He looked down, biting his lip._

_Shen reached into his tunic and offered his handkerchief. "You don't have to pretend with me, you know. If you feel more comfortable like this, if it makes you happy, then I'll stand by you. I'll support you in whatever way I can."_

_"Why would you do that?"_

_"Because you're my friend. I don't abandon my friends."_

Hina let out a breath and stared at the man resting on the bed. She moved closer and touched his hand. He didn't even twitch. "Don't worry, Shen," she whispered. "It won't be long now. You'll be free soon."

oOo

Zuko blinked up at the ceiling of his small cabin. There wasn't much else he could do since he was chi blocked—a precaution, he had been told, to make it impossible to communicate with those bonded to him. Shen didn't want to take any chances. No one was allowed to pursue them. Even Ty Lee had been ordered to command the wind to make their boat move faster, taking them far away from Wu Yao's island.

Creases formed on his brow. It was still a struggle to accept that Ty Lee was an airbender. He had so many questions for her, but he hadn't seen the girl since he'd been shoved into this room. He hadn't seen Shen either. Hina was no help, as she never said a word and left as quickly as she came.

His stomach wriggled and squirmed against the deeper anxiety weighing on him. How many hours had passed now? He hated waiting. He hated not knowing what was happening. Were the others all okay?

Was he going to be okay?

Time passed and then at last the door opened and Ty Lee staggered into the cabin. Her cheeks were drained of all colour and she slumped to her knees, long plait swinging. She looked like a husk of herself.

"Ty Lee!" he exclaimed. "What happened?"

"She's just tired."

His gaze swung back to the door. Hina stood on the threshold, her eyes hard as they fixed on him and her mouth a tight line.

"Tired from what?" he pushed. "What have you done to her?"

"I haven't done anything. The girl has simply been bending for too long."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "As if you and Shen aren't to blame for that."

She stared at him in that hard way of hers, so similar to Shizue's own granite-like stare. "Sometimes sacrifices must be made."

Without waiting for a response, she left the cabin and locked the door behind her. He exhaled before turning his attention back to Ty Lee. He couldn't move much so had to resort to calling her name. For a horrible moment he thought she'd passed out, but then she groaned and raised her head. A forced smile curved her lips.

"Zuko. I didn't think they'd put me in here with you."

"You look terrible."

A little laugh escaped her. "You're not supposed to say that to girls."

"Oh, er, sorry. I just—"

"It's okay." A much more natural smile appeared, though her grey eyes had lost that easy brightness he'd always associated with her. "I probably do look a mess. I've been bending so long I can barely feel my arms."

"Shen?"

She bit her lip and lowered her gaze. "I … I couldn't stop. Everything ached and my vision blurred, but I couldn't stop bending. It was like he was holding me chained there and just forcing me to keep going and going and going …"

"Is that what happened back on the island?"

"Yeah. I wanted to help you all, but he wouldn't let me."

The wriggling weights in his stomach seemed to multiply. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"You and Azula only got dragged into this because of me."

She shook her head. "I chose to go with Azula. I caught his attention on my own. Besides, you aren't to blame for what Shen does to people. That's all on him."

His expression softened a fraction, though his gaze grew troubled again a second later. He asked her how Shen had even got her under his control. She said it might have been when he'd helped her unlock her airbending. He'd done something to her energy—removed the seal, as he'd called it—but the whole process had felt wrong. She should have realised it was a trick.

"I'm such an idiot," she said, lowering her head. "I gave him everything he wanted."

"If it helps, you're not the only one."

It was a poor attempt at humour, so he wasn't surprised that she only bit her lip again, eyes downcast. They remained silent for a moment.

"Zuko …"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared. I don't want to be controlled. What if he makes me kill next? What if he—"

"I won't let him do that to you. I'll find a way to free you, Ty Lee. Promise."

Some of the sparkle returned to her eyes. "Wow. Maybe I'll have to be careful around you."

"Huh?"

"Zuko, you're hot. Like really hot. When you say things like that, it makes a girl's heart flutter."

Heat crawled up his cheeks. "Um … okay."

"Hot, brave and adorably awkward." A grin surfaced. "Definitely will have to be careful."

He sighed and grumbled at her to focus.

"I'm just teasing." Her tone sobered. "I know we can't afford to relax. Shen is so powerful and he's always one step ahead. Even Azula was no match for him. I don't know how we can stop him."

"We will."

"How can you be so confident?"

"Because he has to be stopped and that means we have to find a way. It's as simple as that."

She frowned. "But how? Just saying we have to find a way isn't enough."

"Well … do you think you could fix my chi? That would be a start. Hina has been keeping me chi blocked."

She nodded and shuffled closer, wincing a little. No doubt she was on her last reserves of strength. Still, she didn't hesitate as her fingers prodded certain points along his body. "Lucky Shen and Hina don't know I'm a chi blocker, otherwise I doubt they would've let me near you."

He sat up straighter, energy flowing in a rush of liberation. "Thanks."

"No prob—"

He turned just as she swayed and fell against him. Zuko held her back from his chest, a few creases on his brow. "Maybe you should get some rest for now."

"But Shen—"

"Isn't here yet." He scooped her up and placed her on the bed. "Rest. You're going to need your strength."

A sleepy smile. "Will you watch over me like a noble guardian?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, though he also patted her shoulder. "Just get some sleep. I'm going to see if I can get in contact with Azula."

There was a pause. When Ty Lee spoke, her voice was very small. "Azula must hate me now. She probably thinks I betrayed her, and the way she looked at me when I airbended …"

"Azula is smart. I'm sure she'll figure out that you were being controlled."

"But the airbending can't be explained away." Her arms wrapped around her knees, curling her body into foetal position. "I'm scared, Zuko. I don't want this. I just want to go back to how things were."

"I know that feeling …"

He'd been scared of his fire healing as well in the beginning, especially when he'd learnt about the genocide of his kind. But he was glad for his abilities now. His healing had saved lives. It had helped him and his friends and family get this far. Even having Shen hunt him down had not made him regret being born a fire healer.

"I don't know how Shen unsealed your bending," he said softly, "but just because he played a part in this doesn't mean it's a bad thing that you can bend air. I know one person who's probably super happy about it."

"Who?"

"Aang."

She blinked. "The Avatar?"

"Yeah. He thought he was the last airbender. In any other circumstances, he would have been ecstatic and tackling you with hugs."

"I do like hugs, and he seems really nice, but everyone back home …"

"They're wrong. About airbenders, about fire healers, about this war. All that stuff we got taught is wrong. One day I'll prove it as well."

Her eyes widened. "You're serious. You actually think you can change the Fire Nation."

"Not on my own, but with Aang and the others at my side? Yeah. I think we can do it. I think we can bring peace to the world."

Her lips curved. "If we get out of this, maybe I can help as well."

"I'm sure the others would welcome you."

She closed her eyes, a smile still lingering on her lips. Zuko left her to it and settled back on the floor. He needed to focus. It took a lot of concentration to tap into the bond and open a path of communication. Right now, however, he was far from calm for all his bold words. There were so many worries tangling his mind.

He had just got a grasp on Azula's energy when the door to the cabin opened again. This time Shen entered along with Hina. Zuko stiffened, his mouth going dry in an instant. The pale gold eyes that met his were lifeless slabs of stone. No smile, no hint of emotion. It was somehow more unnerving than if Shen had showed triumph.

"Hina, remove the—" Shen's eyebrows rose slightly. "Never mind. The block on his chi has already gone. I guess it wore off."

Hina frowned but said nothing. That was a relief. Zuko didn't think it was a good idea to let them know Ty Lee was a chi blocker. He spared a glance for her but she was asleep. Perhaps that was for the best.

"Well, Prince Zuko, the time has come for you to fulfil your destiny." Shen closed the distance between them. "Be a good boy and don't resist."

Zuko swallowed, though his eyes narrowed in a fierce glare. "Do you hope to control me like you do Ty Lee?"

"Oh no. That would be a waste. You are going to serve a much greater purpose, my little prince."

"And what's that?"

Shen cupped his chin. "I'm going to make you my vessel."

A creeping shiver down the spine. "What?"

"All the others I've taken have been too weak, too easily corrupted, but you are different. You have the potential." His eyes gleamed. "Through you, I can access everything I lost. I will make this world bow before me again and liberate the fire healers as they deserve."

His heart hammered against his ribs and he wrenched his face from Shen's touch. "You're insane."

"Call me whatever you like. Soon my dream will become yours."

Zuko dodged the hands that came for him. He punched out flames, only to have Shen catch his fist, snuffing out the fire at the same time as if it was nothing. A second later Zuko was pressed against the wall with a hand around his throat.

"This body may struggle to use the bonds I have forged to their full potential," Shen said calmly, "but you are still no match for me, child. I have centuries of experience. You cannot win."

Cold fear iced over Zuko's heart. "You … you can't be—"

Shen's thumb pressed firmly to his forehead and his other hand found Zuko's heart. A rush of energy surged through the prince from the points of contact, locking his limbs as if he were paralysed. When he looked at the man in front of him, it was like fire melting away an illusion. Gone was the cabin, Ty Lee and Hina. But then Shen also began to fade. The top-knotted black hair streamed out, the bland features became thinner, more feminine, shifting into that of a young woman. Flames glowed all around her, bright and powerful, and from the fire were threads of gold connecting to shadowy figures.

"The Unnamed One," Zuko whispered on a choked breath. "You're her. You're Shūrin."

"You know of me."

Her voice was calm just like Shen's had been and her eyes just as emotionless. Zuko's pulse throbbed painfully in his neck. This was insane. She was meant to be dead. She had killed herself centuries ago. That was what everyone had said.

"How?" he managed to get out. "How is this even possible?"

"Everything is connected. I just dared to push that connection as far as it could go."

His heart thumped faster. This couldn't be happening. There was no way anyone could survive for so long, let alone exist in another's body, but then he remembered what had happened at Lake Laogai when he'd desperately tried to save Aang. The lines had blurred so much it was like the two boys had become one. He'd eventually lost control and his consciousness had got scattered inside Aang, but maybe it had been more than his consciousness. Maybe that had been his soul.

Maybe Shūrin had done something similar, except she hadn't lost control. She had seized control.

His stomach knotted. This was bad. If he didn't do something quick, he was going to end up like his mother: a mindless puppet consumed by a parasite. Just the thought made his skin crawl.

"Don't be afraid, my little prince." Shūrin held his gaze, still with her thumb pressed to his forehead and her other hand on his heart. "Once we are fused, you will understand. You will see that you were born to help me."

"You're kidding yourself if you think I'll let you turn me into your vessel."

"Then go ahead and stop me." A faint smile. "If you can."

Energy surged through him again, invasive and immense. It slammed into his mind, his heart, his very willpower.

_Submit!_

The command was fire and steel wrapped up in a crushing weight. Zuko cried out. Her will was so strong. He'd never experienced anything so overwhelming. It was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with bare hands. His own will splintered and crumbled, even as her energy slipped everywhere inside him, threatening to swallow him up entirely.

Fear fluttered and thumped in his chest. He was losing to her. He was going to lose.

Would he end up hurting those he loved just like Shen had?

Would he just cease to exist?

"No!" he screamed. "I won't give in!"

He had come too far, struggled too much. So he dug deep, grounding himself in what had always kept him fighting—his family, his friends, the nation he wanted to save from itself. Bit by bit the weight began to lift. He kept pushing until the pressure changed, until it was his energy overwhelming hers.

Until he could sense another presence reaching up through the cracks he had created.

Shūrin's eyes widened and she suddenly broke the connection, pulling her hands away. The curtains of golden flames vanished. Zuko breathed heavily and stared at Shen, or at least the woman who gazed back from Shen's eyes.

"What happened?" Hina demanded, stepping forward. "Did it work? Shen?"

"Prince Zuko's will is strong," Shūrin observed, though she didn't sound pleased. "It seems I will indeed have to do this the hard way."

oOo

Morning came. Katara entered the hold, tray of food and water in hand. Azula lay on her side with her head resting on the cushion she had been provided. Her hands were behind her back—still cuffed?—and her hair was half falling out of its style in strands of greasy black. She didn't look like much of a princess in that moment. Even her eyes were shadowed with bruise-like smudges, though the look she gave Katara was as sharp as ever, if a little weary.

"I brought you breakfast," Katara said, holding up the tray.

Azula's eyes flickered from Katara to the bowl of food. She moistened her lips. There was hunger and frustration pushing at the cracks of her pride, but hunger won out. She shifted awkwardly onto her knees, cuffs jangling. A wince, a tiny hiss of pain bit back too late. Their eyes met.

"You're hurt?"

"Metal cuffs aren't exactly kind on the skin," Azula said coolly.

Little knots formed in Katara's stomach. This girl had caused so much damage and pain, so many deaths. She had even killed Jet. But right now Azula was the one who had been injured and who was at their mercy. To ignore her pain would be cruel. It would be stooping to something that Katara didn't want to be.

The knots seemed to get heavier in her stomach. She swallowed, closing her eyes with the smallest of sighs. "I'll get Toph. She can remove the cuffs."

"Why would you do that? Not even my fat uncle wants these things off me."

"Would you rather I do nothing?"

Azula's eyes narrowed a fraction, though it seemed more like she was trying to get a read on Katara than anything else. That was almost sad. How twisted did a person have to be to not understand the simple desire to not leave someone in pain when there was no need?

"I'll be back with Toph soon," Katara said, placing the tray down.

She left without waiting for a response. It didn't take long to track Toph, who had been eating breakfast in the mess hall. Toph had no issue with removing the cuffs, but Mai wasn't so keen on the idea.

"What do you think she's going to do?" Katara demanded. "She's outnumbered and surrounded by the ocean."

Mai placed her cup down. "Azula doesn't need much to be dangerous. This is the same girl who started a revolution in Ba Sing Se just by masquerading as a refugee."

"The cuffs are hurting her."

"And she deserves it! She deserves every bit of pain she feels!"

There was a tense pause as the two girls stared at each other. Mai turned away as if ashamed of her outburst, jaw tight. Only the scarred side of her face could be seen.

"Maybe she does deserve it," Katara said quietly, "but I don't want to be that person. We might be her jailers for now, but that doesn't mean we have to be her torturers as well."

Mai said nothing.

"C'mon, Toph. Let's go."

Toph followed Katara out of the mess hall. "The others might not be happy with this either, you know," Toph said as they headed for the hold. "They would have come to me already if they thought it was okay to remove the cuffs."

"Why'd you agree to do it then?"

A slight pause. "The Dai Li kept me locked up and bound as well."

Katara stopped. "Toph …"

"Let's just hurry. Might as well get the cuffs off before someone else decides they need to convince us otherwise."

It was a clear request to let the conversation drop, so Katara did. She knew Toph still carried scars from her time as a captive to the Dai Li. There was no need to keep pushing.

They found Azula sitting exactly as Katara had left her. Toph marched up to her and tore the cuffs right off, revealing swirls of bruises and raw flesh where the metal had rubbed. Azula flexed the fingers on her right hand, but her left arm fell limply to her side. She didn't bother to say thank you.

"Here." Katara summoned the water from her flask and let it surround her hand. "Give me your arm."

Azula stiffened. "Why?"

"I can heal you."

Azula's eyes narrowed even more, darting between Toph, Katara and the glowing water.

"You can trust Sweetness," Toph said.

"I don't trust anyone."

"Then don't trust me," Katara responded, "but if you want to stop hurting, you need to let me heal you."

Azula's gaze flickered between them again before she grudgingly held out her right arm. Katara kept her movements slow and gentle. It felt like tending to a wild animal—the tension, the knowledge that any moment Azula might lash out, all claws and sharp teeth. Still, soon enough her skin was smooth and whole again.

"Now for the left," Katara said, summoning fresh water.

The princess didn't move.

Katara let out a huff of exasperation. "Do we really have to go through this again? I just healed your—"

"I can't."

"What?"

"I can't," Azula gritted out, looking anywhere but at the two girls. "I can't move my arm."

Katara's eyes widened. "What?"

"Is that all you know how to say? What?" Azula's mouth twisted, but there was a hint of something other than scorn in her expression: a tiny bit of vulnerability that slipped through the harsh retorts and mountain of shields.

Katara's jaw dropped. Azula looked so much like Zuko in that moment, or at least how he'd been before he'd befriended them and opened up more. Maybe that was why Katara found herself taking the girl's left arm in her grasp. She pulled up the sleeve to expose the big, ugly burn scar, one that dug deep and had clearly damaged nerves. "Shen?"

A clipped nod.

"Zuko said you'd got hurt, but I didn't know it was …"

"Spare me the pity."

Katara bit her lip. More and more was she beginning to see the similarities between the siblings. Back in the North Pole, Zuko had also snapped at Katara for feeling sorry for him. She'd let her pride and anger get the better of her then and refused to help him further. She didn't want to make the same mistake. "I can try to heal it."

Azula raised her eyebrows. "Why? Why go to so much trouble? It's not like we're allies."

"You helped us last night."

"I tried to stop Shen from getting what he wanted. Thanks to my brother being such a self-sacrificing idiot, that failed."

Toph tilted her head. "She's lying."

"What?" Azula glared at the blind girl. "What are you—"

"Don't mind Toph," Katara cut in hastily. Azula didn't seem the type to respond well to being prodded about her feelings. The princess was all cold bite and shields; the more they pushed, the more they'd just set up her back. "Anyway, what have you got to lose? If I can't heal it, I can't heal it, but if I can you'll have movement in your arm again."

"Atsuo tried for days. What makes you think you'll do any better?"

Katara did exhale in exasperation then. "Will you just let me try?"

A long pause. "Fine."

Azula sounded so grudging and scornful that Katara was tempted to not bother after all. Still, she adjusted her grip on Azula's arm and began to heal. The glow of the water lit up the small space between them. Azula kept her face averted, trying to act as if she didn't care, but sometimes her gaze would dart downwards to examine the damage.

After some time, Katara pulled away. There was a tense moment as Azula just stared at her arm. The pale fingers twitched but the arm itself remained limp.

"It didn't work," Azula said coolly, turning the other way.

"I'm sorry. I really am."

The princess's lips thinned a little. "It's not like I expected it to work."

Toph did that head tilt again, but this time she didn't call Azula out on her lie. There was no need since it was obvious to all of them.

Katara was about to respond when she felt a sharp tug on her chest. A gasp of surprise escaped her and she staggered. Azula looked just as shaken. Their eyes met in mutual realisation. "Zuko," they said in unison.

Something was happening to Zuko. Something had gone wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well, the full truth is out about Shen and Shūrin. I feel like this might be a "hit or miss" thing for some people because it's not the kind of thing we expect from the AtLA universe, but there have been a lot of hints building up to this. Hopefully, it didn't come as too much of a surprise.
> 
> It should also be obvious by now that fire healers in TUF are basically like energybenders. In canon, we see that energybending can take someone's bending away, but here I've really pushed the boundaries of what else you might be able to do if you mastered energy. I'll explain more in future chapters, but basically what the lion turtle says to Aang in canon is going to be very important.


	17. Combine

"You said this would work!" Hina cried, clenching her hands into fists. "You said I only had to help you find this boy and then you would release Shen!"

Shūrin's gaze barely flickered to the tall woman. "Do not worry. I may have miscalculated the strength of Prince Zuko's willpower, but anything can be broken if you push hard enough."

Zuko swallowed, his heart jumping for his throat.

"You see, this one is not like his sister," Shūrin continued with no emotion in her voice. "He cannot watch someone be in pain and do nothing."

Dread coiled around his heart. Of course it would be that. She needed his body unharmed, but hurting someone else wouldn't damage him physically. His gaze darted to Ty Lee, only to find her staring back at him. She raised her finger to her lips. Shūrin's back was to the acrobat and Hina wasn't paying attention to her at all.

No need for a signal.

Zuko shot off a few quick fireballs. Hina and Shūrin moved into action as he knew they would—forcing him to duck and twist and put up a hasty fire shield—but then Ty Lee also moved like an unexpected gust. A rapid series of jabs, a gasp, and Shūrin collapsed in a limp heap on the floor. The face the ancient princess had stolen twisted into a mixture of shock and anger; it was the most emotion he'd seen from her.

"You," Shūrin choked out. "You dare …"

Hina rounded on Ty Lee, only to get knocked back by Zuko's blast of fire. Her head hit the wall with a thud. She groaned and struggled for balance. Ty Lee was on her in seconds and striking with precision, shutting her limbs down until Hina slumped over like a wilting flower. It all happened so fast, so chaotically. Then the colour vanished from Ty Lee's cheeks and she swayed.

"Got you," Zuko said, catching her.

Ty Lee met his eyes with pure exhaustion straining her features. "You … you need to get out of here."

He slipped his arm under her legs and picked her up. "Not without you."

"But—"

"No time. Hold on!"

Shūrin tried to get up, though she ended slumping back against the floor. "You won't escape. I will find you again, little prince. I will always find you."

Zuko looked back at her over his shoulder, heart thudding and adrenaline pumping through his veins. There was a tense pause as they stared at each other. His gaze snagged Hina's, and in her eyes, he saw desperation, anger, but also resignation.

Tearing his gaze away, he yanked open the door and ran from the room, still carrying Ty Lee. There was no time to waste. They had to get to the emergency boat.

oOo

"You shouldn't have brought me with you."

Zuko fumbled with the oars, shooting a frown at Ty Lee. She sat opposite him with her arms wrapped tight around her legs. "I wasn't going to leave you there."

"That person who took over Shen has a bond with me. He can find you through me."

Zuko kept rowing.

"And what if he takes control of me again? What if he forces me to—"

"I told you I won't let that happen."

Her eyes sought his. "But how can you stop it? How is anyone supposed to stop something like _that_?"

He released the oars and moved to sit next to her. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then don't worry. I'll figure something out."

"But—"

"Look, I wouldn't have been able to escape if it weren't for you." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You saved me. You got us both out of there thanks to your quick thinking. So let me save you this time, okay?"

Her eyes widened a fraction, then softened into a smile. "Okay." She slipped her arms around him in a hug. "I trust you."

He patted her awkwardly on the back.

Ty Lee pulled away and said she could try airbending to help them move faster. (For all his rowing, they were still too close to Shūrin's ship for either of their liking.) Zuko didn't like the suggestion since he knew she was on her last dregs of energy, but that also gave him an idea. He could give some of his chi to her.

"It'll weaken you, right?" she said, brow creasing.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

She bit her lip, but the need to escape Shūrin and Hina made her soon agree. Zuko held her hands and focussed his chi, letting it slip through him until he brushed against a whisper of spring breezes and spiritual power. The latter was a surprise—the kind he expected to sense from Aang or maybe someone like Guru Pathik—but then he guessed Ty Lee was an airbender and she'd always chattered about auras. Maybe she really could see things that others couldn't.

He shook off his distraction and continued to let his energy flow into her, filling the chasm where chi had been depleted. Colour returned to her cheeks and her eyes began to look a little brighter. Once he was satisfied he had restored as much of her strength as he could, he broke the connection and released her hands.

Ty Lee stared at her palms in wonder. "That was amazing. So much different to what I felt with Shen—I mean, uh … what is that person's name?"

"Shūrin." He pulled the oars into the boat so they wouldn't create unneeded resistance. "Do you think you can airbend now? I'm going to try get in contact with the others."

She nodded and stood up, hands shifting into a graceful stance. Wind swirled, stirring the water, and the boat shot off as if pushed by an invisible hand. Zuko knew he didn't have much time before Shūrin recovered from the chi block and used her bond with Ty Lee to resume control. He had no illusions about what would happen then. Still, he had to believe there was a way to break the control for good. If there was one thing Shūrin had taught him, it was that nothing was impossible.

He closed his eyes and focussed his energy. No room for distractions now. Azula was the easiest to communicate with since she understood how the process worked, so he searched out her door of energy and opened himself to her. The usual rush of cold fire surrounded him, along with the peculiar imbalance that lingered in his sister. Rippling flames spread like curtains to give shape to what he'd privately nicknamed the bond space. Azula materialised as if from smoke and made a motion as if to move towards him, stopping at the last second.

"What happened?" she asked.

"No time to explain. Ty Lee and I managed to escape, but I don't think we're going to make it on our own—not if she gets controlled again. Are you still with the others?"

She nodded.

"Did Appa make it? Is he well enough to fly?"

"The bison?" She folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not sure. They've been keeping me locked in the hold."

Zuko bit back his frustration. He understood why the others would have been reluctant to trust his sister, but it also made getting a rescue organised more difficult. "Fine. Just get help. Aang would be a good choice. Use the bond to get our location—I have no idea where we are at this point. If Appa isn't well enough, maybe Katara can help with waterbending. I don't know. Just make it clear that Ty Lee and I need help now."

Azula's mouth tightened a fraction. Perhaps she didn't like the fact he was basically giving her orders, perhaps it was just his assumption that she would help at all. He didn't know or care. The fact was that right now he didn't have a choice but to put his faith in her.

"Will you do it?" he asked.

A tense pause, then she nodded.

"Thanks. I'm going to break the connection now."

She lowered her arms to her sides and watched him until he and the rippling flames vanished.

oOo

The deck bustled with activity. It had been a surprise when Azula had suddenly demanded an audience and passed on Zuko's message. Still, Katara, Aang and Iroh had all felt the warning through the bond. No had one wanted to risk the chance of ignoring his plea for help. That was how Katara, Yuzo and Atsuo had all ended up joining their healing abilities to help Appa heal faster. It had been the plan anyway, but since Atsuo had almost drained himself trying to heal Shizue, and Yuzo had already expended a lot of energy helping Atsuo, the three had been forced to wait. Now they did their best.

Appa rumbled softly as they worked on him. Aang lingered near with Momo, practically bouncing on his feet with impatience.

"I think that's it," Yuzo said, removing his hands from the bison.

Atsuo and Katara both stepped back as well.

"Buddy, do you think you can fly now?" Aang asked, rushing to his friend and petting his furry face.

Appa made more soft rumbles.

"I think he'll be okay," Aang said, smiling at them. "Thanks!"

Katara grabbed Aang's wrist before he could settle on his perch on Appa's head. "I'm coming with you."

His eyebrows inched higher at the intensity of her voice, but then he nodded. "Okay."

Atsuo's hands moved to shape words.

"What about Azula?" Yuzo translated. "She's the one who can sense him, right?"

Aang looked down at his feet. "Iroh didn't think it would be a good idea to take her with us. Said she isn't stable." He brightened again. "But she told me how to do it. My bond with Zuko is super close, so it's actually not hard for me to find him. I sort of feel his location like he's a point on a compass. We'll have him and Ty Lee here in no time!"

This seemed to satisfy Atsuo, who had grown quite fond of Ty Lee. He wished them both luck. A quick goodbye to the others who had gathered on deck, and then Aang, Momo and Katara were flying on Appa towards the wide expanse of ocean. There was no time to waste.

oOo

"You really don't trust me, do you, Uncle?" Azula observed, sitting on her cushion, left arm limp at her side. No one had bothered to cuff her again after the blind girl had broken the old ones, which was a relief.

Iroh sat on the small stool and frowned at her. "I don't always trust your motivations."

"Because I'm not like Zuko?"

"Because you are too much like your father."

She blinked, then settled into a more relaxed position. "I take that as a compliment."

"You shouldn't."

He sounded weary and a bit resigned. That set her teeth on edge.

They sat in silence for a moment until an itch began to crawl along her skin, spreading from her fingers and all over her body. Stupid, fat old man. What did he even want?

"If you're just going to stare at me, you can leave," she snapped.

Iroh leaned forward, meeting her gaze. Her imperious tone hadn't even fazed him. "Will you answer me one thing, my niece?"

Again with the "my niece" thing. Did he think that was going to endear him to her? Unlikely. Yet even then her brow creased, for her curiosity was piqued as well. "What?"

"Do you feel any remorse for the things you have done?"

She wanted to laugh and tell him that of course she didn't feel remorse. She had just been doing what her father wanted, what was expected of a loyal princess. Bringing her uncle and Zuko back in chains, capturing the Avatar, taking over Ba Sing Se—those were all things her father would have approved of. There had been a few casualties along the way, but that was just life. The strong survived and the weak died. Traitors were punished, and those who hindered her path had to be removed.

Except … except sometimes, at least when she was on her own and there was nothing else to distract her thoughts, she found herself thinking about what she actually wanted. She found herself wondering if certain things had been worth it in the end.

Jet.

Becoming more and more alone.

Was that what people called remorse? Or was it just displeasure because she had failed.

"Azula?" Iroh prompted gently.

The soft tone surprised her. She wondered what he saw in her face. He didn't look so weary now. He didn't give her that expression that whispered "monster" either.

"I only regret that I didn't beat you when I had the chance. Maybe then you'd be my prisoner." She held his gaze, cool and precise. Just like Father.

A sigh escaped him and he stood up. "I'll let you know if your mother's condition changes. In the meantime, we'll be waiting for Aang and Katara to bring back Zuko and young Ty Lee."

She said nothing and watched him leave.

oOo

"There!" Aang cried, pointing to the rowboat in the distance.

Katara's heart skipped and fluttered. Finally.

Appa swooped down to hover close to the boat. She moved to jump off the saddle, only to pause when she spotted Zuko straddling Ty Lee and pinning her wrists down. All the flutters fell apart like torn wings. What the heck?

"Fight it, Ty Lee!" Zuko urged. "The others will be here soon, so just—"

Of course. Shen must have taken control of her.

"We're here." Katara landed on the boat.

"Katara! Aang!"

Zuko looked so pleased to see them. It made her warm all the way to her toes. Still, she quickly pulled herself together, summoning water to her hands before placing it on Ty Lee's head and inducing the girl into a healing sleep. Ty Lee went limp, eyes closing. Zuko got off her with a sigh of relief. The lopsided smile he gave Katara had her crashing against his chest in a sudden hug.

"I was so worried," she breathed into his tunic.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, pressing his face into her hair. After a moment that felt far too short, he pulled away and accepted Aang's tackle hug. Momo chittered excitedly around their heads in his own lemur way of greeting.

"We should hurry," Zuko said, shifting his hands to Aang's shoulders so he could hold the boy back. "It's not safe here."

Katara glanced behind them to where a bigger ship loomed. That had to be Shen and Hina.

"Then let's load up and go!" Aang declared.

They carried Ty Lee onto the saddle, then sped off on Appa. In the distance, the other ship soon faded from view. A little breath escaped Katara. They were all safe for now, yet she still found herself shifting closer to Zuko, her thigh and arm brushing his slightly. He didn't pull back. Momo, meanwhile, had settled on his shoulder and now chittered as if telling the prince about all the things that had happened while they'd been separated. A soft smile touched Zuko's lips as he pretended to listen and scratched Momo behind the ears.

"Momo seems to have missed you," she observed.

"He just missed the free snacks."

She laughed and couldn't resist leaning into him. He'd been in Shen's hands for over a day. That had been over a day of constant stress and worry. She needed all these little touches, all these little reassurances that he was unharmed and back with her.

"So, how did you guys escape?" Aang asked from where he sat holding the reins.

Zuko explained everything that had happened and what he had discovered about Shen. Katara and Aang were very vocal with their surprise and horror. To think that Princess Shūrin had survived for so long and now wanted to make Zuko her new vessel. It sounded like something from the stories that had got told around bonfires back in the Southern Water Tribe.

"I don't know if I made the right choice," Zuko admitted in a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"After Ty Lee chi blocked Shūrin and Hina, I had a chance. I could have stopped Shūrin right then and there …"

Aang twisted around on his perch. "You mean kill her?"

"Yeah." Zuko's hands balled into fists and he kept his gaze lowered. "I thought about it. She was defenceless. It would have been easy. But when she tried to take over my body, when I pushed back against her, I felt something …"

"What?"

"Shen. I think he's still in there." He shook his head in a helpless gesture. "I couldn't do it. Not after that."

Katara placed her hand on his knee. "Shen is likely innocent in all this. I think you did the right thing."

Aang agreed. He said something about life being sacred, but he also pointed out that there was no way to know if killing Shen would have actually stopped Shūrin anyway.

"But she is dangerous and has to be stopped," Zuko said grimly. "Ty Lee and I got lucky this time, but I don't think she'll lower her guard like that again. I need to find a way to break the bond Shūrin has with Ty Lee as well. She'll never be free otherwise, and I don't like the idea of Shūrin being able to use her to track us."

Katara frowned. "Maybe talk to Atsuo. He managed to break his bond with Yuzo, and Shūrin broke her bond with him. Perhaps he'll have some ideas."

"Can't hurt to try."

They left the matter there. Zuko asked about his mother and Shizue. He looked troubled when he learned Ursa had not woken, but he was glad to hear that Shizue had survived and was on the mend.

"I'm just glad you're back with us," Katara said, pulling him into another hug. "Especially now that we know what Shūrin wants. You are _not_ allowed to surrender to her again."

"Don't worry. I don't plan on it."

oOo

They were welcomed back to the ship warmly. Zuko had expected hugs from his uncle and Sokka, but Hakoda's hug took him off guard and left him a bit hot around the cheeks. Even Suki hugged him and said she was glad he was safe. Toph, of course, punched his arm while Mai only offered him a flatly delivered quip. He supposed it was as much a hug as either girl was willing to give.

There were others who came to greet him as well—Tomoki, Jee, Cheng, many of the Water Tribe warriors, and there was Yuzo and Atsuo. It made Zuko feel warm. Warmer than he'd felt in a long time. All these people had been worried for him. All of them had wanted him to come back safely. It was amazing to Zuko, who had spent so many years feeling like he was worthless and did not deserve love or friendship from anyone. Now he had a whole ship of people caring about his wellbeing.

Still, this could not be the easy, happy reunion everyone wanted.

"Yuzo, Atsuo, we need to talk," he said.

The three boys found a quiet space for themselves below deck. Zuko knew Katara and Aang would catch everyone else up with what was going on.

"What's this about?" Yuzo asked.

So Zuko explained—about Shen, about Shūrin, about what he'd sensed when she'd tried to overwhelm his energy.

Yuzo had never looked so pale. He stared at nothing, his hand covering his mouth as if to hold back vomit. "Shen … you mean he never actually … he's still …"

Atsuo wrapped his arm around his boyfriend.

"Hina seemed to believe he'd be freed if Shūrin took over my body instead." Zuko frowned at his hands. "For all that Shūrin is a monster, I don't think she's a liar. Shen must still be in there."

Yuzo hid his face against his palms. "All these years. She's been possessing him all these years, and I"—the boy trembled a little—"I didn't even realise. Hina must have seen it, but I, his own blood, his own brother, I didn't even …"

Atsuo removed Yuzo's hands from his face and then signed something. The two had a small conversation in their silent language, which Zuko didn't interrupt. He knew this had to be a lot to process. Yuzo had not been subtle in his hate for Shen.

Eventually, Yuzo straightened and let out a deep breath. "How can we save him?"

"I think all we have to do is force Shūrin out of him."

"Easier said than done."

Zuko couldn't argue with that, but that also didn't mean he was willing to give up. There had to be a way to free Shen without having to become a new vessel himself. He just had to learn more about manipulating energy. If Shūrin could do it, he didn't see why he couldn't.

That brought him to the second issue they had to tackle: Ty Lee's bond with the princess and how to sever it so she couldn't be controlled again or used to track them.

Atsuo explained how it was desperation that had driven him to break his bond with Yuzo. All he'd wanted was to keep Yuzo away from Shen. Bonds, as he signed, were not stagnant. They could be weakened or strengthened. Emotion, willpower, the simple energy that connected them all and which existed within them—it all came together to form the bonds. He'd willed his bond with Yuzo to be cut. He'd poured everything he had into that single desire, and only then had it broken.

"He doesn't know if that means you can break another's bond in the same way," Yuzo translated. "Especially not if you're up against Shūrin. She has centuries of knowledge up her sleeve." A few creases formed on his brow. "I'm pretty sure she's using other people's chi to strengthen her bending as well. When I was trying to save Atsuo from being controlled, it was hard but I still felt like I had a chance at first, but then she just crushed me. I couldn't do a thing."

Zuko nodded. It would explain the shadowy figures he'd seen connected to her. It would also explain how fighting her on the island had felt like going up against multiple people instead of one.

Atsuo frowned and signed what looked like a question. Yuzo's brow furrowed even more and his hands quickly moved into a response. Not for the first time did Zuko wish he had learned more than just a few basic words in sign language.

"What is it?" Zuko asked. "Something I should know?"

"He thinks you should try the same: boost your bending with others' chi and then see if you can break Ty Lee's bond. If what Shūrin said about you is true, you're probably the only one who can take on that much power without your body suffering for it."

"But that would drain them. I can't—I don't want to—"

Atsuo asked if Zuko had a better idea, pointing out that Shūrin wasn't the type to miss an opportunity. Zuko's stomach twisted and knotted.

"Even if you don't like it, this could be the only way," Yuzo translated as Atsuo's hands continued to weave words. "Ty Lee needs you. I just got lucky; Shūrin decided I wasn't important anymore and she let me go. But she won't do that for Ty Lee. We all know that."

"This … this isn't a decision I can make on my own."

"Then talk to those bonded to you," Yuzo translated. "But, Zuko, coming from someone who has been under Shūrin's control, I think you should at least try. Don't make Ty Lee suffer like I did."

Atsuo stared at Zuko grimly.

Unease worked its way into the prince's heart, but he just swallowed and nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

oOo

The meeting was far from pleasant. Though Iroh, Aang and Katara agreed that it was worth a shot, Zuko still didn't like the fact he was asking to drain their energy just to power up. It felt wrong. It was something Shūrin would do, but not him.

"Don't worry about us," Katara said, touching his arm. "We want to help."

"I don't think your dad likes the fact you're helping."

Hakoda had been frowning a lot ever since news of the plan had got out. That just made Zuko even guiltier, especially since he'd got such a warm welcome from the man earlier.

"I make my own choices. Dad knows that." She reached for his cheek, guiding his face towards her. "Besides, I trust you."

His fingers brushed hers as he held her hand to his cheek, meeting her gaze. "I don't want to do this," he admitted. "I hate it. I hate that it's come to this."

"I know, but I think Atsuo is right. We need to try. Ty Lee will only be a danger to herself and us otherwise."

He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. It was true, and of course he knew that. It was why he'd still asked everyone if they would be willing to assist him. Sometimes, risks had to be taken and sacrifices had to be made.

"Should we start?" Iroh asked.

Zuko pulled away from Katara and stood up. "No. I haven't asked Azula yet."

A frown crossed Iroh's face. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"Ty Lee is her friend. She deserves to be given the option."

Iroh continued to frown, but he simply nodded in acquiescence.

Zuko muttered that he'd be back soon, then headed for the hold. He hadn't had a chance to see his sister properly yet—not even his mum—but it couldn't be helped with everything going on.

He inhaled a small breath before entering. She sat on a cushion and seemed to be idly playing with a bit of thread she must have tugged loose from her tunic.

"Hello, Brother," she greeted, not looking up at him. "Nice of you to finally stop in."

"Thanks for helping earlier."

Her fingers stilled for a moment before she went back to twisting the thread round and round. The silence dragged on.

Zuko cleared his throat and explained what was going on and what they were planning to do to break Ty Lee's bond with Shūrin. This time, Azula actually looked up at him.

"You expect me to sacrifice my energy for her?"

"I think she'd do it for you."

Azula's jaw tightened.

"Look, you don't have to help," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I just thought … I mean, she's always been your friend and—"

"I don't have friends."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "Is that what you think? You really think Ty Lee isn't your friend?"

"She only followed me because she was scared of me, no matter what she says. And I only kept her around because she came in use sometimes."

"I think we both know that's a lie."

Her gaze became ice.

"Forget it." He sighed and shook his head. "There isn't time for this. Are you willing to help or not?"

"Of course not."

He frowned at his sister, but she had lost interest in him and now set the string on fire, letting it slowly get consumed by her blue flames until there was nothing left. It hit him then how she'd often done things like this when they were children—things to intimidate, things to remind that she could hurt him just as easily. It had worked as well. She'd always put him on edge and made him feel weaker than her.

Zuko turned to the door, facing his back to her. "You know," he said softly, "maybe you don't know Ty Lee as well as you think you do. She really cares about you, just like a friend would. That much I realised while being a prisoner with her."

He waited to see if Azula would respond, but she stayed silent. With another tiny sigh, he left the hold.

oOo

"Ready?" Iroh asked.

Ty Lee was now bound with metal, courtesy of Toph, and sat on the deck with everyone who would be part of the bond-breaking attempt around her. Zuko had given them all strict warnings to let him know if the drain got too much. He'd never done this before and had no idea how it would go. To be on the safe side, it was agreed he would link to people one by one as needed.

He approached Ty Lee and pressed his thumb to her forehead and his other hand on her heart. Mind and heart. Mind and soul. The stance Shūrin always used made sense now, especially when he considered what it had felt like when she'd tried to make him her vessel. She had gone deeper than just fighting his willpower. It was like she had touched the very core of his being, seeking to shatter him.

"I'm ready," Ty Lee said, meeting his gaze.

He nodded and closed his eyes. It was easy to make the connection. Better yet, he already knew what Shūrin's energy signature felt like. All he had to do was seek out the thread that hummed with blazing power, brighter and more intense than any other, like the sacred flames of a pyre. This was the bond. This was where Shūrin's influence was rooted.

Zuko wrapped his own energy around the thread and willed it to be broken. He put every ounce of his being into the thought. Like a beast disturbed, Shūrin reached through to him in turn. She slashed and pushed back with fiery claws. He could almost see her with her black hair streaming all around her, determined even as her expression remained one of deadened calm.

_"Foolish child, you think you can stop me like this? You are a mere baby learning to crawl."_

The whisper slipped into him through the energy that hummed and tried to force him back. He held his ground, refusing to be intimidated. He had stopped her from making him a vessel. He could stop her now.

Her power swelled like something unearthly, yet even then it was different from when she'd tried to take over his body. That had been invasive and overwhelming. This was more like she wanted to force him out, to make him let go or be crushed. He realised this had to be what Yuzo had meant. It also meant Shūrin had started calling upon those trapped in bonds to her.

Zuko allowed his uncle's door to open. Energy surged, warm and comforting like a campfire.

Still not enough.

Aang's came next in a gust of air. The gold threads of Zuko's own energy burned brighter, stronger, but whatever was blocking Aang's Avatar powers maintained its seal here as well. All the masses and masses of spiritual power remained out of reach.

_"I see you do want to play."_

Shūrin's voice seeped into him yet again, and her power grew even more crushing. Zuko gritted his teeth. There was no door to Katara's energy, but he grasped hold of their bond and she didn't resist. Her chi flowed into him in a caress of water and soothing coolness. Power hummed through him, growing and growing. It was exhilarating. It was terrifying. He burned so bright, so fiercely.

He was a sun coming to life.

Shūrin's energy faltered, stuttering and struggling like flames about to be snuffed. His heart leapt. Then she surged forth once more, now stronger than ever.

No.

No, no, _no_.

She was so strong. He couldn't stop her like this, not even with the four of them combined.

Suddenly, a new energy flooded him. Flames that somehow burned hot yet cold. A clawing, grasping thing that had eaten away at itself for years, that was in such desperate need of healing, but it was still strong. So very, very strong.

"Azula," he whispered.

His sun flared in intense gold. This time he was able to slam Shūrin down, forcing all trace of her back into the thread, even as she threatened him with hissing whispers. A final, desperate tug was all it took.

The thread snapped.

Zuko exhaled and opened his eyes. Power thrummed through his body, but it was just a lingering side-effect; he'd already put the barriers back up to stop the flow of energy. Katara, Iroh and Aang were all on their knees, trying to catch their breath. Ty Lee, however, just stared at him with tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Thank you," she said softly.


	18. The Road Ahead

Shūrin's laughter spilled over the deck even as she held herself up by her hands and knees, sweat dripping from her chin and down her forehead. Her laughter was pitchy and off, an unnerving thing like the tingling pad of spider legs down the spine. She brushed the grey-threaded hairs from her face. Strands got caught on her fingers and broke off in clumps. It didn't even faze her. It did faze Hina.

"How can you laugh?" Hina hissed. "You got shut out. You failed!"

"He is perfect." Shūrin closed her eyes, letting her head fall back as she embraced the sun. "I can't even be disappointed. Of course he shut me out. Of course he succeeded. He is my perfect vessel."

Hina's hands balled into fists. "And what of Shen?"

"What about him?"

"You know exactly what! His body is falling apart!"

Shūrin flicked the clumps of hair off her fingers. "Some sacrifices must be made."

" _Sacrifices_?" Hina took a hasty step forward, hands itching to grab the monstrous thing that had taken over her friend and shake her right out of his body. "This was not part of our agreement! You swore that Shen would be returned to me!"

"And so he shall."

"In what condition? When he can barely stand? When he can barely even move?"

"Believe me, I have done my best to protect Shen from corruption. I even let Atsuo go in order to lessen the strain on your dear friend's body."

"Your best?" An angry, swollen thing clawed at Hina's throat. "You call this your best?"

"Like I said, some sacrifices must be made. I can only work with what I have."

Hina wanted to scream. For so long she had followed this monster, obeying orders, pretending that she wasn't sickened by the body-snatching thing. Silencers were trained to put their emotions aside. It was just part of the job to do what others could not. But working for Shūrin was like being trapped in an eternal nightmare. Hina hated it. All she'd been able to do was cling to the deal they'd made, to the belief that one day it would all be over and she would have Shen back at her side.

The end had to justify the means. That was what she had told herself every day.

But now all she saw were bruising shadows and clumps of grey-streaked hair falling out. She saw stooped shoulders and far too sallow skin. She saw her best friend broken. Withering.

_"He doesn't care about you any more than he does me."_

Princess Azula had been right. Hina had always known it as well. She had just wanted to believe that the deal actually meant something. She had wanted to believe there was hope.

"How much longer?" she demanded, voice low and gravelled with emotion. "How much longer will Shen last if you keep abusing his body like this? How much more are you planning to push him?"

Shūrin stood up, all wobble and sways. Her eyes were deadened calm sheathed in the otherworldly—the stare of a person who has lived for hundreds of years and has forgotten what it means to be human. "As much as it takes."

Invisible fingers closed around Hina's heart, squeezing and squeezing.

"My purpose will not be denied. Not by you, not by this weakening vessel, nor by Prince Zuko." Shūrin spread her hands, and for the first time her voice took on a hint of passion. "All these years I have watched over my kind, keeping us hidden from a world that didn't deserve us, keeping us secret so that history would not repeat. I waited for the right moment, for the world to change so that fire healers could have a place in it again." Her expression once more took on that look of deadened calm. "But the world didn't change. It will never change. That is why I must act now while I have the chance. I will finish what I started all those centuries ago."

"You're going to get Shen killed!"

"Hina, Hina, we are talking about the fate of all fire healers. A life or two lost is nothing compared to what can be gained."

Hina's fists trembled. "You made a deal. You said you never break your promises!"

"I promised that Shen would be returned to you after I got my new vessel. I never said what condition he would be in."

The invisible fingers around Hina's heart squeezed even more. Everything seemed to burn—her chest, her throat, her eyes. "I won't let you," she gritted out. "I won't let you hurt him anymore!"

"And what are you going to do? Fight me?" the ancient princess moved closer, gaze as cold and empty as a void. "Even if you block my chi, Shen and I are one. You cannot physically remove me from him."

Tears wormed free in bitter prickles. Hina's jaw locked and her nails dug into her palms.

"You are helpless, Hina. You have always been helpless." Shūrin closed the last bit of space between them. Her face was dear and familiar, but there was nothing of Shen in that expression, nor in the voice. "But don't worry, I can still make you useful. I'm going to need more power if I am to subdue Prince Zuko."

Hina closed her eyes. She knew what was coming, and though everything in her screamed to fight back, to do something, her heart was too crushed. Everything had been for nothing. Everything. All she was left with was a painful awareness of her own despicability: of every life she had snatched, every torture inflicted, of the fact she had been willing to sacrifice a sixteen-year-old boy to a creature she knew was nothing better than a monster. So many justifications, so many lies.

She had been such a fool.

A thumb pressed to her forehead and a hand came over her heart. Again, self-preservation kicked in like a jerking nerve, demanding she fight back. But resisting would only put more strain on Shen's body. Hina couldn't do it. She just couldn't.

The thumb shifted to a caress and the hand on her heart pulled away. "Run."

Hina froze. Every bit of her stilled—heart, blood, pulse. She couldn't breathe.

"Run, Hina. Or end me now."

Her eyelashes fluttered open and she gazed down into Shen's face. His features had always been on the generic side, but for once they lacked the doll-like blandness she had seen for so many years. His teeth were gritted and his eyes blazed in a mixture of affection and pain.

"Shen?"

The name fell from her lips in a whisper. He winced, body juddering as if an earthquake were happening inside him. A hiss escaped through his teeth.

"Shen!" She gripped his shoulders, tears splashing down her cheeks. "It is you! Tell me how to help you! Tell me how to—"

"You can't."

"But—"

"You can't help me, Hina. Not in the way you want."

"But you're right here! You broke through! That has to mean—"

"The boy did something to loosen Shūrin's hold when he pushed back against her energy, but I don't know how much longer I can keep her at bay. She's too strong. Any second I'm going to be overwhelmed."

"Then I'll find Prince Zuko again! I'll—"

"I'm telling you there's no point! Either run or kill me now, because I won't be able to stop her once she gets control again."

"No!" She tightened her grip and looked down into his eyes. "There has to be a way. I can't—I won't let you—"

"I'm going to die anyway." He cupped her cheek. "I'd rather it be by your hand than hers."

Tears blurred her vision. "You can't ask this of me."

"You're the only one I can ask. My partner, my friend, I know you have stayed by my side for all these years, but please just end this. End it for your sake. End it for mine." He lowered his gaze. "But if this request is too much, then run. Run so I at least won't have to watch her use me to make you suffer more. Run and save yourself."

Hina could only shake her head, the lump in her throat choking all words.

He groaned and staggered to his knees. Control was slipping from him like cupped water. She knew there wasn't much time. The void flickered in his eyes, threatening to drag him deep into the abyss that was Shūrin.

_"End it for your sake. End it for mine."_

Trembling, tears wetting her face, she unsheathed the knife she kept at her hip. A deep exhale stilled her hands. "I'll make it quick. I promise."

His smile shattered before it even fully formed. Her heart lurched. Too late, too late! Fire slammed into her stomach, knocking her clean off her feet. A crack of her skull against the deck, a dizzying splash of flashes and blurs. The knife was gone. Pain sizzled her flesh in a scream of hurt, hurt, hurt. She blinked and the world formed again, giving shape to the face of a monster.

"Oh, Hina," Shūrin said in that tone of deadened calm. "You really shouldn't have done that."

oOo

Zuko stared up at the ceiling of his small cabin. For all his body ached with exhaustion, sleep eluded like scattered dandelion seeds in the wind. He was still trying to process everything that had happened: learning the truth about Shen, escaping with Ty Lee, breaking the bond. Azula had even helped in the end, though she'd later played it off as just wanting to get one-up over Shūrin. Still, Ty Lee had seemed happy before Mai had taken the poor girl to get some proper rest.

There had been quieter moments as well. Talking with Shizue, visiting his mum, though the latter had been bittersweet. His mum still hadn't woken. It was hard to look at her emaciated face and see how much she had changed, but at least she was safe. At least they were together and she was no longer possessed by a spirit.

He sighed and closed his eyes. There was a light tap on the door. His brows pinched. Who would be coming to visit him at this time of night? He'd told everyone in the mess hall at least an hour ago that he was going to bed.

The tap came again, this time louder. Frowning, he stood up and crossed to the door, opening it a crack. Katara stood on the other side. She fidgeted with her tunic, and though it may have been a trick of the fire glow, her cheeks looked a bit pink.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Uh, sure."

He held the door open, closing it softly behind her and pressing his back to the cool metal. "What's up?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Me either."

Her hair was loose tonight and fell in brown waves to her waist. She tucked a lock behind her ear, not quite meeting his gaze. "Is it okay if I stay with you for a while?"

Something stirred in his chest like a flutter of wings, soft and ephemeral. He nodded.

They sat together on his bed, close enough for him to feel the warmth of her leg pressing against his. It was only a few heartbeats before she moved even closer. Zuko blinked but didn't resist, moving his arm so she could curl up more against his side. Her hair tickled his jaw and a hint of soap teased his senses. She must have bathed not that long ago.

"Your hair," he murmured, hand hovering near the cascading strands, resisting the urge to touch. "I don't normally see you wearing it down."

"Water Tribe girls don't, that's why. I only leave it loose when I go to sleep, and even then I don't bother most of the time."

"Oh."

She emerged from the little nook she'd created against his chest and reached up to play with the tips of his own dark strands. "What about you? Is it normal to wear your hair down like this in the Fire Nation? You always wore it partly shaved and pulled back in that silly ponytail when we first met you."

Silly ponytail?

Heat touched his cheeks. "That was called a phoenix plume, and the only reason I shaved part of my hair is because …"

Her fingers, which had still been playing with a lock of his hair, stilled and the smile on her lips faded a little. "What?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

She stared at him for a moment, then her gaze shifted to the left. To his scar. "Was it because of …"

He bit his lip and looked the other way, grateful when his fringe fell forward to hide the ugly mass of scarred tissue. "I didn't have much choice at the beginning," he admitted. "The burn was bad. When I was finally able to remove all the bandages, I just … I didn't feel it was right to grow my hair out. It felt shameful somehow to hide the scar."

"Why?"

"My father meant it to be a brand of dishonour. I'm sure he wanted me to—"

She jerked upright. "Your father gave you your scar?"

Zuko blinked. "You didn't know?"

Her horrified expression told him no. He swallowed and explained in a halting voice what had happened when he was thirteen: the war meeting, the Agni Kai, the branding and the banishment. She asked a few questions to clarify things, but otherwise did not interrupt. Once he had finished, she was quick to wrap her arms fiercely around him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry he did that to you. You didn't deserve to be hurt like that."

Zuko could have told her not to worry—that he was over it now and it was fine—but that would be a lie. He didn't want to lie to her. So he just relaxed into her embrace, practically melting into her softness and warmth. She clutched him harder in response.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but when she did pull back, there was a determined glint in her eyes. She brushed some of his hair from his face, then leaned forward and placed a kiss on his scar. Zuko went very still. The kiss itself was dulled, for he couldn't feel much on that part of his face anymore, but the act itself left him speechless. It also made heat spill over his unscarred cheek.

"Um," he said intelligently.

Her lips curved up at the corners, though her own cheeks looked a bit flushed. "For the record, I much prefer your hair like this, but not because it hides your scar." She pushed more of the thick strands from his face and her eyes were soft as she met his gaze. "You'd look just as good with your hair pulled back."

His blush darkened and spread. Even the tips of his ears felt hot. It sounded like she was saying she found him attractive. The thought made his pulse stutter a little. Still, there was another part of him that refused to believe her. His scar was big and disfiguring. He'd spent three years pretending to ignore the repulsion, morbid fascination, and pity that his face inspired in people. Sure, Ty Lee had called him "hot", but she was a compulsive flirt who called everyone cutie or whatever else came to her head. He hadn't taken her seriously.

But Katara was not a compulsive flirt. He didn't know what to make of her words or the kiss she'd given him. He certainly didn't know how to accept her compliment gracefully.

"You don't have to say that to make me feel better," he muttered, pulling away so that his hair slipped free of her fingers and once more veiled his scar.

"I'm not."

He frowned. "Katara, I get you want to be nice, but we both know my scar is ugly."

"I don't think it is."

Frustration prickled under his skin. "Of course it is. Just look at it!" He pointed at the ruined flesh. "How can anyone look at that and not be put off?"

She took his hand and lowered it, then traced her fingers along the scarred ridges and planes of his face. His breath caught in his throat. Of course the sensation of her touch was dulled, but he knew how gentle she was being. It was in the warmth of her expression, in the gaze that whispered of affection and something else—something he'd only ever caught from her in shy snatches.

Her fingertips brushed near his twisted eye, and he closed both eyes in surrender, letting her explore up to his hairless eyebrow and farther into his hair. He'd allowed Toph to do something similar once, but this was different. Katara wasn't trying to figure out how his scar looked through touch. She knew what he looked like and she was telling him it was okay. No repulsion, no pity, just acceptance.

His eyes opened and met hers. So blue. So, so close.

"Don't be ashamed of how you look," she said softly. "There's nothing wrong with you. And the scar? I don't see it as a mark of dishonour. I see it as a mark of bravery. You were thirteen, yet you were willing to risk everything to protect your countrymen. There's no shame in that."

He could only stare at her, words lost somewhere in his throat. Fortunately, she didn't expect a response and just snuggled back up against him. The little flutters stirred in his chest again. He glanced at the top of her head, then simply relaxed into her and brought his arm around her waist.

They spoke of lighter topics after that. Simple, easy things that wouldn't disturb the quietness of the moment. Still, something had changed between them. It was a new awareness, a new layer. Holding her still felt natural, but it also made him that much more conscious of every place where they touched. When he finally dared to run his fingers through her hair, his heart beat faster. When she got sleepier and slumped more against him, practically falling into his lap, he stopped breathing altogether.

"Maybe you should head back to your own cabin," he murmured, shifting her off him so that she was lying on the futon instead. "It's late."

"Just a bit longer."

"Katara."

She made a sleepy sound and tugged at his tunic as if to pull him down to join her. His pulse thrummed, but it was a frown he directed at her.

"Katara, you can't sleep here."

Her eyes opened and she looked up at him with a slight pout. "Don't want to move."

"You know you have to."

She just slow blinked at him for a moment before closing her eyes again. When there was no other response, he gave her arm a light prod. Still no response.

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, letting out a huge yawn. He was too tired to deal with this. Short of carrying her back to her cabin, it seemed there would be no moving her.

"Fine," he muttered.

He pulled the blanket over her, then flopped down beside her and closed his eyes. It wasn't like they hadn't shared a bed before. It wasn't like anything was going to happen. Yet the fact he had to reassure himself of this at all told him that everything was different about this situation.

Everything was different between them.

oOo

The next day, everyone gathered around the tables in the mess hall to discuss what they would do next. The eclipse was looming, but since a big part of the plan to stop the Fire Lord relied on Aang being able to go into the Avatar State, no one was quite sure how to proceed. There was also the issue of Shūrin.

"Shen—I mean Shūrin did say that you could get your power back if you went to the Spirit World," Katara reminded Aang. "I know she's awful, but she did keep her word. Maybe she was telling the truth about that."

Aang chewed on his fingernail. "I guess, but how am I supposed to get into the Spirit World? It's not like there's a door I can just walk inside. Every time I've crossed into it, it's 'cause I've gone into the Avatar State."

"Hei Bai took me there once," Sokka said. "Maybe you could hitch a ride with him."

Aang shook his head. "I don't think it works that way."

There was a lull in conversation as they all frowned over this problem.

Iroh stroked his beard. "There are ways to enter the Spirit World without being the Avatar, but it is dangerous. I did it myself once many years ago."

Zuko sat up straighter, glancing at his uncle in interest. He'd heard that his uncle had gone on a spirit journey not long after Lu Ten's death, but he'd always felt like he couldn't broach the subject. It was just something they didn't talk about.

"How did you do it?" Hakoda asked.

"There are places where the veil is thinner in this world, places of high spiritual energy. The oasis in the Northern Water Tribe is one, as is the Foggy Swamp."

"Our tribe is also like that," Yuzo added.

Iroh nodded to show he remembered. As Zuko recalled, some members of the tribe were able to tap into the energy there to locate other fire healers.

"These places can work like a portal if you perform a certain ritual," Iroh explained. "But, as I said, it's very dangerous."

"What kind of danger are we talking here, Gramps?" Toph asked.

"The deadly kind. There's a high risk Aang will die if he goes through with this."

Aang audibly gulped. "Dying doesn't sound good."

"No," Iroh agreed. "I wouldn't have even mentioned it, but …"

He didn't need to finish his sentence. The world needed the Avatar, not just to end the Hundred Year War in a way that didn't include mass, comet-charged death and destruction, but also to help maintain the balance between human and spirits. That was the whole point of being the bridge between worlds.

Katara gave Aang a small hug of reassurance, saying that he didn't have to do the ritual. She was sure they could find another way.

"Those bonds of Prince Zuko's are pretty powerful," Tomoki observed. "Maybe he can take the Avatar's place during the eclipse and—"

"No!"

Everyone blinked at Zuko. Heat rose to his cheeks as he realised he'd been a bit too forceful. He cleared his throat, rubbing the base of his neck.

"I just … I don't think it's a good idea to use the bonds for battle," he said. "I'm just an ordinary bender unless I drain others' chi, and I really don't want to mess around with that."

Sokka placed a hand on his arm. "I get why you'd be reluctant, man, but what you did for Ty Lee was pretty intense. You had some serious power going on there. We could feel it coming off you and everything. I mean, you actually shut Shūrin out and cut the bond."

Ty Lee nodded, smiling from where she sat next to Mai and on Aang's other side. (Mai and Aang were on unofficial Ty Lee Watching Duty. It wasn't that people thought she was going to do anything bad, but it made the more paranoid types feel better considering she had fought at Azula's side right up to the end during the struggle for Ba Sing Se.)

"Yeah, I was stronger," Zuko allowed, "but we're talking about draining people of their chi. Uncle, Aang, Katara and Azula were all hugely weakened from that. I had to give chi back to them in the end."

That was one of the small blessings about being a fire healer. He bounced back much faster after chi loss.

Atsuo began to sign something, leaving Yuzo to verbalise his words so everyone could understand.

"Zuko is right that it's not a good idea to rely on the bonds. We get taught in the tribe to limit our bonds to one person if we can. We're even taught how to reduce the chances of forming one when we heal. It's because the bonds are dangerous. The more you have and the more power you draw from them, the easier it is to be corrupted. Even those bonded to a fire healer can get corrupted."

"Corrupted?" Hakoda questioned. "What do you mean?"

"It's what happened to Shūrin and her followers during the civil war. Their bodies wasted away. Apparently, that's not even the worst of the effects." Yuzo lowered his gaze. "Well, I guess that's obvious now since we all know what happened to Shen."

"But Zuko is bonded to heaps of people," Sokka pointed out. "He seems fine. So does everyone bonded to him."

"Why do you think Shūrin wants him so much? Most of us can barely handle one bond. That's why your friend here is special. He hasn't got weaker; he just keeps getting stronger. It's like he doesn't feel the strain at all."

Zuko frowned. That was true. He hadn't felt any backlash from drawing upon the others' chi. It was only when he gave up his own energy that he struggled, but even that had got easier since he'd figured out more efficient ways to heal.

Ty Lee pressed her finger to her chin in a pensive gesture. "I think Shūrin is experiencing this corruption thingy. When she broke the seal on my bending, she looked really fragile and had all these new grey hairs all of a sudden. It was scary."

A small hiss escaped Yuzo. "That's definitely corruption. Shen is more gifted than most, but Shūrin doesn't care about limits. She must have been pushing him too hard."

There was another moment of silence as everyone dwelled on what that would mean for Shen.

"Well," Hakoda said, daring to break the tense pause, "I guess we'll just have to—"

The doors to the mess hall were thrust open. Zuko turned on instinct, only for his heart to boom through him in a sudden pulse. His mother was standing there, awake and head darting this way and that as if she were searching for someone.

"Mum!"

He was on his feet in an instant. She smiled—her smile—and closed the distance between them, pulling him into her arms. Zuko didn't even try to stop the tears that slipped from his eyes. He clutched her hard, burrowing his face into her shoulder.

"Let's give them some privacy."

He thought it might have been his uncle who said the words. Either way, there was soon the sound of benches scraping against metal and many footsteps as everyone cleared from the mess hall so only mother and son were left.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Zuko managed to choke out.

She rubbed his back soothingly and murmured soft things: how she loved him, how she had missed him. "I never wanted to leave you," she breathed into his hair. "I so desperately wanted to take you and Azula with me."

"Why didn't you?"

She explained how Ozai had threatened her. He'd made it very clear that she was to leave without her children or none of them would live. With no other choice, she had departed with Shizue and accepted her banishment. But she had never given up on getting Zuko and Azula back. She had plotted ways to enter the Fire Nation palace to spirit them both off or at least stay to watch over them. In fact, Shizue had ended up having to forcibly stop her on multiple occasions.

"Shizue was right not to let me go," Ursa said ruefully. "I was being reckless, and it would have only put you and Azula in danger had I made it to the palace."

Zuko pulled back to meet her gaze, his face wet with tears.

Sadness tinged her eyes and she cupped his scarred cheek. "But it seems I failed you anyway. I'm sorry, Zuko. I should not have trusted your father to keep his promise."

"It's not your fault."

And he knew that now. His mother had really tried her best. She had done everything she could to keep him safe, to reunite with him again.

Her lips curved slightly. "Look at you. You've grown so much. Are you the same height as me now?" She raised her hand above their heads to measure, and a small laugh escaped her. "You are. Looks like you finally caught up."

Zuko wanted to cry again. How many times had he measured his height against her when he was a child, determined to one day look her straight in the eyes, no tiptoes? How many times had she laughingly told him to be patient and eat all his greens if he wanted to get bigger than her?

"Mum." He crashed into her again, holding her thin frame close.

Ursa stroked his hair and allowed him to cry and hug her as much as he wanted. Maybe he had grown up a lot, but in that moment he was just a boy who had missed his mother. He was allowed to be emotional.

oOo

The hold was quiet except for the sound of the sea lapping against the sides of the ship. Azula sat stiffly on her cushion and stared at her mother. "You actually bothered to visit me?" she said in a cool voice. "I thought you'd still be with Zu—"

Ursa swiftly closed the distance between them and knelt, yanking Azula into her arms. The princess went very still. The hug was tight, almost painful. She could feel every rib and bony point on her mother's wasted frame. But the hug was also warm. It whispered for her to relax and sink into the embrace. Azula remained rigid, arms slack at her sides.

"Azula," Ursa murmured.

"You don't have to pretend to be happy to see me."

The words were clipped, cold.

"Why would I pretend?" Ursa pulled back to meet her gaze. "I am happy to see you."

A little lump clawed its way into Azula's throat. She swallowed it back down. "Oh please, Mother. I know you always thought me a monster."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it? Then look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm not a disappointment to you. Tell me that you didn't wish I was more like Zuko. Tell me that you didn't wonder what was wrong with me or why I just couldn't be normal." She raised her chin, jaw tight. "Well?"

Ursa frowned. "Is that what you thought?"

"It's the truth, isn't it?"

Amber eyes, identical to her own, tinged with sadness. "Oh, my love. I have failed you."

Azula could only blink as she was pulled into her mother's arms again. This wasn't how the confrontation was meant to go.

"That I should have made you feel such things." Ursa tightened her hold. "You are my daughter. You are my brave, clever daughter. Of course you're not a monster."

No. Azula wriggled and squirmed, refusing to be part of this lie. She didn't want to hear these words. They were all fake, fake, fake.

"I love you, Azula. I have always loved you. Just because I scolded you sometimes or encouraged you to follow your brother's example in being kind to others doesn't change that. That's just what mums do."

Something hot stung Azula's eyes. She squeezed them shut so no moisture could escape. "You're lying."

"I'm not. I promise you I'm not."

"Then why did you give all your attention to Zuko? Why was it always about him? Why did you never care when I got lonely or scared?"

The words slipped out before Azula could stop them. She bit her lip, frustrated at her inability to stay in control of her mouth. Weakness wasn't something to be exposed.

"That was my mistake. You were too good at putting on a brave face, my love. But I shouldn't have assumed you were okay. I'm sorry."

Azula bit her lip harder. The lump was back in her throat, and though a part of her kept screaming "Liar", another part of her yearned to just accept. She had been denying what her heart wanted for so long.

Ursa placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Do you remember what I told you on the night I left?"

"You told me to be kind to others."

"Yes, but what else?"

A small pause. "You said you would think of me every day."

"And so I did. Every day we were separated, I dreamed of you and wondered what you were doing, how much you had grown, whether you still remembered me."

"I'm not exactly going senile, Mother. Of course I didn't forget you."

Ursa laughed lightly. "No, you wouldn't. You've always had such a good memory."

Azula took no pleasure in the compliment. It always felt like there was a "but" attached to anything her mother said to her. Even now.

Ursa let out a breath and just held her close for a moment. Azula still had not returned the embrace.

"Will you let me try again?" Ursa said softly. "Will you let me try to be a better mother to you?"

"Why? You must know the reason I'm being kept in here."

"I was told, yes."

The lump got tighter in her throat. "Then you know that I really am a monster. I've hurt people. I tortured Mai. I even tried to kill Zuko."

A slight pause. "Do you feel bad for those things?"

"I don't know …"

It was the simple truth. She didn't know what she felt. Father had taught her that things like compassion and remorse were for the weak, but the truth was she'd just never quite understood such feelings. It had been easy to follow the pragmatic path. It had been easy to be what others perceived as cruel.

"Well, ask yourself this," Ursa said in a surprisingly gentle tone, pulling back to meet her gaze. "Do you still wish to hurt Mai?"

"Not now, but if she crossed me again I might."

Better to be honest. Better to test how far her mother was willing to be around her monster of a child.

"What about Zuko? Do you wish he was dead?"

This time Azula was not so quick to respond. Eventually, she just gave a small shake of her head.

"Then I think we can work with that."

Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"Why don't you let me help you this time and then maybe you'll understand?" Ursa offered her hand.

Azula stared at her mother for a long moment. With every second that passed, it felt like a war was going on inside her. One half wanted to take her mother's hand and just surrender, just let it all go. The other half clung to Father's mantras. Caring was for the weak. Wanting to be loved was for the weak. If she took Mother's hand, she'd be disappointing Father. She'd prove she was no better than Zuko.

But she was so, so tired.

She was so tired and maybe, just maybe, she actually did want to be loved. Maybe she didn't want to just rely on fear to keep people around her.

Azula swallowed and clasped her mother's hand. It was such a small gesture, but it brought the warmest of smiles to Ursa's face. The princess was soon pulled into another hug. This time, she returned the embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we come to the end of _The Silencers_. Keep an eye out for the fifth and final part of this series, _Balance_.


End file.
